FY2017 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Project, Union County Prosecutor's Office Forensic Laboratory

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office Forensic Laboratory is seeking funds to address a backlog of cases for DNA testing in the Forensic Biology section.

There has been a significant increase in submissions in the past several years, largely due to increased submissions for non-violent crimes, such as burglaries, car thefts, and criminal possession of weapons.

The laboratory has evaluated the workflow to increase efficiency utilizing Lean Six Sigma principles, however, has continued to have difficulty in reducing the number of cases in the backlog. A large part of this difficulty was due to the validation, implementation, and training associated with bringing a number of updated methods and software packages online for use in casework.

The largest of these projects was the implementation of the Globalfiler amplification kit, which was mandated by the FBI in order to continue participation in the CODIS database.

The UCPO Forensic Laboratory also seeks funding to support one full-time grant funded analyst and one part-time contracted analyst in the processing, reporting, and review of DNA casework. The laboratory has utilized these staff members for approximately two years, and the ability to use them in their current capacity is vital to the success of the project goals.

The UCPO Laboratory is also requesting funding to hire a laboratory technician. This will allow current trained analysts to spend more time on evidence examinations, DNA data interpretation, report writing, and review, while still allowing samples to move through the laboratory in an efficient manner. In addition, overtime funds are requested to allow for all staff to dedicate additional time to backlogged cases, and funding for additional supplies is requested to facilitate processing of the backlogged samples. With a redesigned workflow after the addition of a laboratory technician, the time of trained analysts will be used more effectively and allow for a significant decrease in the number of backlogged cases and a decrease in overall turnaround times.

nca/ncf