New York State 2017 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Program

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) will use funds to improve the quality and timeliness of public forensic and medical examiner services.

As the state administering agency, DCJS is working closely with New York State's accredited forensic and medical examiner laboratories to improve each laboratories' efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of forensic analysis services to their client agencies.

As a requirement to receive funding under this grant announcement, laboratories were required to submit to DCJS a certification stating that they had an improvement plan detailing how Coverdell funding would help to reduce/eliminate backlogs and improve overall timeliness and quality of forensic and medical examiner services.

In addition to the laboratory improvement plan, all laboratories within New York State are required to participate in technical working groups whose purpose it is to improve the quality of forensic sciences within the state. As presented in the program narrative and budget, much of the Coverdell funds requested will support laboratory equipment and personnel/fringe expenses. The former will primarily help to increase laboratory efficiency and allow laboratory staff to complete multiple tasks simultaneously, while the latter will support staff hours to help reduce/eliminate case backlogs. While having the most current technology and overtime hours necessary to process more cases, it is also essential that these agencies use funding to train and educate the personnel using the equipment.

Grant funds will also be used for costs associated with mandatory laboratory accreditation and for supplies to support case processing. This Coverdell grant will allow each of these agencies the opportunity to reduce and/or eliminate their backlog through their chosen method.

nca/ncf