Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2024, $1,387,542)
This proposal will provide funding to enable the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Forensic Services to reduce the number of backlog DNA cases and increase the capacity of the laboratory to analyze samples. Funds are requested to replace and upgrade existing equipment as well as purchase supplies for the analysis of casework. Overtime and fringe benefits are sought for DNA personnel to process, analyze, and review backlog cases. Funds for training opportunities to meet the continuing education requirement are also requested.
The Pennsylvania State Police, Forensic DNA Division provides DNA analysis for the entire commonwealth at no cost to law enforcement agencies. This includes 67 counties and over 900 police agencies. The Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Forensic Services is an American National Standards Institute National Accreditation Board accredited laboratory system with six regional crime laboratories and one Forensic DNA Division. The six regional laboratories screen biological evidence and submit probative items to the DNA Division as well as provide other services such drug analysis, ballistics, documents, and trace analysis. By increasing the capacity of the laboratory, the analysts will be able to analyze more crime scene samples and cases per month. This increase in the number of cases worked is anticipated to reduce the casework backlog. The Pennsylvania State Police, Forensic DNA Division is dedicated to reducing its current average turnaround time in DNA analysis and uploading more samples into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The Forensic DNA Division is the state site for CODIS within the Commonwealth which includes the DNA convicted offender databank. All eligible DNA profiles will be uploaded into the National DNA Index System (NDIS).
At the end of the grant period, the laboratory’s aim is to reduce the current and anticipated backlogs in DNA. The goal is to reduce the turnaround time in the Forensic DNA Division. The laboratory will set its goal to reduce turnaround time per case. It is hoped this grant will provide the ability to process more cases and decrease the days it takes for a case to be completed.