FY23 Indiana Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Program

Project Abstract

Applicant:

Indiana Criminal Justice Institute

101 W. Washington St., STE 1170, East Tower Indianapolis, IN 46204

Phone: (317) 232-1233 Fax: (317) 232-4979

Title of Project:

Laboratory Backlog Reduction Program

Funding requested:

$407,847.00 - Coverdell Funds (Indiana)

$367,062.30 – ISP Laboratory

Goals:

The State plan is to attain a turnaround time of less than 45 days for 90% of submissions, reduce backlogs, and improve the quality of forensic services. To obtain this goal, equipment must operate efficiently, and overtime is needed.

Objectives:

To improve the timeliness of forensic services and reduce backlogs through the purchase of equipment and the use of overtime.

Project plans:

The purchase and upgrade of existing equipment. The purchase of two gas chromatograph mass spectrometers for the Controlled Substance Unit at Fort Wayne and Lowell Laboratories. The measure will replace outdated equipment that the manufacturer no longer supports. The downtime of the instruments affects the turnaround time. The new instruments also are more sensitive. The use of overtime affects the backlog. These measures will be used in large part to impact the opioid epidemic.

Methods and Outcomes:

To improve the timeliness of forensic services, overtime will be used to increase case output and reduce backlogs. The gas chromatograph mass spectrometers will allow analysts to more effectively analyze their samples. The replacement of two twenty-year-old instruments will ensure the quality of analysis.