FY23 Indiana Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Program

Goals: The State plan is to attain a turnaround time of less than 45 days for 90% of submissions, reduce backlogs, and improve the quality of forensic services. To be able to obtain this goal the overtime is needed, and equipment must operate efficiently. 

Objectives: To improve the timeliness of forensic services and reduce backlogs through the use of overtime and equipment purchases.  

Project plans: The use of overtime to affect the backlog. The purchase gas chromatographic mass spectrometer (GC/MS) software so that each drug analyst will have their own version of software so that data analysis can be done on their individual computers. Along with the purchase of a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS) at Indianapolis so that the Laboratory facility will have more instruments available more often for forensic scientists. These measures will be used in a large part to impact the opioid epidemic.

Methods and Outcomes: To improve timeliness of forensic services, increasing case output and reduce backlogs by using overtime for increased case production. With each drug analyst having their own GC/MS software they will be more efficient in their data analysis and interpretation. The gas chromatograph mass spectrometer at the Indianapolis Laboratory will allow analyst to more effectively get their samples run in a timely manner.