DNA Backlog Reduction Program

The New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory is the sole provider of forensic services in the state of New Hampshire. The laboratory’s Forensic Biology Unit performs all screening and DNA analyses associated with criminal investigations in the state. The unit is also responsible for the analysis and entry of offender and casework samples into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database.

The purpose of this project is to ensure continuity of operations, decrease turnaround time for forensic biology casework and lawfully owed DNA samples while continuing to adhere to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Quality Assurance Standards (QAS). This will be accomplished by the purchase of required consumables, renewal of instrumentation service contracts and software licenses, providing continuing education to all biology analysts, and purchasing new instrumentation that will increase our efficiency work process.

It is expected that a minimum of 350 forensic biology cases and 1,000 database samples will be analyzed in-house utilizing grant funds. A validation for liquid handlers will be complete with the goal of reducing bottlenecks in quantification and amplification set up; the laboratory will maintain its compliance with the FBI's DNA QAS; and all CODIS eligible profiles, both casework and databasing, will be entered into the DNA database.