FY2009 Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program: Category V: Enhancing Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigations

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 5, Nassau County will use the grant award to hire one Forensic Geneticist II and one Forensic Geneticist Trainee to: (1) continue to accept all property crime evidence while decreasing analysis backlogs and turnaround time to deliver test results associated with current caseloads; (2) decrease backlog case reviews; and (3) complete the validation of state-of-the-art techniques which will result in decreases in case turnaround time.

CA/NCF