Nassau County Medical Examiner Division of Forensic Serves-Biology Section: 2023 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program (Formula)

A total of  $438,364 has been requested in program funding to maintain the increased level of capacity the laboratory has experienced in past CEBR programs and to reduce the current turnaround and backlog to levels suitable to laboratory customers. This request includes the funding required to support the New York State Executive Law 838-a "test all" sexual assault kit legislation which has resulted in an increase in sexual assault related evidence testing. The funding requests will be utilized to support (1)  Personnel and Fringe, (2) Supplies, (3) Procurement Contracts and (4) Travel to cover the 2 day mandatory conference in Washing D.C.. The overall goal of both funding streams is to maintain a test all policy for property crime evidence with an emphasis on the prioritization of violent crimes. This will be accomplished by enhancing casework resources and capacity with the expectation of increasing the number of eligible profiles entered into the Combined DNA Index System. In 2022, approximately 51% of evidence submissions were property crime related. Analysis of property crime evidence alone was responsible for 152 of CODIS profiles entered (257 total profiles), resulting in 152 property crime “hits” (equating to 60% of total hits). These successes will be met or exceeded within the 24 month grant period through the purchase of casework reagents and consumables along with the use of funds to support personnel overtime (and associated fringe) to address the technical and administrative case review backlog. The review backlog continues to be the most significant obstacle in reducing case turnaround.  To prioritize the assignments of violent crimes, search queries specified as “Date of Assignment” and “Assignment Due Date” were added to the LIMS stock reports which places assignments in the order of crime type and date of assignment. This report is available to all biologists performing casework.  The laboratory has set its goal to reduce the current overall 123-day turnaround to a maximum of 90 days.