NIRCL FY24 DNA CEBR

The crime laboratory is a designated unit of local government that has been in existence since 1968 and has been performing DNA analysis since 1998. The crime laboratory is responsible for analyzing evidential material associated with criminal investigations for the majority of local agencies in Lake County, Illinois as well as in Cook, Will, McHenry, Kane and Grundy counties in Illinois. The laboratory’s goal is to provide the highest quality DNA analysis with the best turnaround time possible. Funding from this grant is imperative for the operation of the DNA section and will address the following goals: fund two analysts, purchase supplies and equipment to improve productivity and upload more profiles into Combined DNA Index System,  (CODIS) and to provide required education for DNA analysts to stay abreast of current trends and technologies.

The crime laboratory has experienced an increase in the amount of evidence submitted and the demand for DNA analysis. The crime laboratory is fortunate for the growth of the laboratory; however it comes with budgetary constraints because the cost of DNA supplies continues to increase every year. Funding from this grant is imperative to the operation of the DNA section. One of the most important goals is to provide our customer with timely results without taking away from quality. One way the crime laboratory strives to accomplish this is to provide a fast turnaround time of 45 days. This will help our customers complete their judicial duties and also aide the State’s Attorney’s Office in faster trials. The grant has allowed the crime laboratory to maintain two grant-funded employees on staff. Another goal is to maintain biology and DNA processing by purchasing essential DNA supplies and chemistries to perform these analyses and new equipment to provide state of the art analysis faster. The additional STRmix super-computer will allow multiple analysts to run samples and allow profiles from complex mixtures to be uploaded into CODIS. The DNA analysts at the crime laboratory continue to keep the DNA section current by continually learning, which is so important in the ever-changing world of DNA. The crime laboratory aims to use the latest technologies so that our customer can receive the best service possible.