Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory - FY24 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction(CEBR) Program

The Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (CCRFSL) is the primary accredited DNA Analysis Laboratory for Cuyahoga County and the region, serving the second largest population in Ohio. It maintains the Federal Bureau of Investigation Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories for inclusion in the Combined DNA Index System/National DNA Index System. Due to the ever increasing demand for DNA testing, the lab has continued to experience significant increases in DNA casework while it continues to implement more stringent case acceptance policies and procedures in efforts to increase capacity and throughput

During the 2024-2026 project period under this application, an increase in casework is expected based on the staggering increases in violent crimes within the county. Cuyahoga County is home to Cleveland, its largest city, which is plagued as first in the state and fourth most violent in the nation with 8,652 violent crimes, and now being further fueled as the poorest city in the nation according to the most recent 2020 U.S. Census and FBI Uniform Crime Rate (UCR) available data. 

With limited funds and the increased cost of casework, acquiring the funding as allocated is critical to building DNA capacity and reducing the backlog to benefit law enforcement’s prosecution of crime and increase the safety for the citizens it serves. The majority of funding has been allocated to forensic casework consumable supplies, and 3.12 percent of the total budget for will be allocated for staff attendance at one training event to maintain continuing education and accreditation requirements. Given these increases in cost and casework, CCRFSL is optimistic to increase capacity and throughput while reducing backlog as a result of this funding.