2018 Georgia Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Program

The Crime Lab is suffering from large backlogs and long turnaround times for case completion in all sections (Chemistry, Toxicology, Firearms, Impressions, Trace Evidence and Biology). The Crime Lab proposes to use funding from this award for the following:

1. Overtime pay to staff to facilitate faster entry of evidence into the case management system as well as for data analysis and interpretation, preparation of forensic reports, and peer review of both opioid and non-opioid cases.

2. Outsourcing of suspected opioid cases to a private laboratory.

The outcome of the use of these grant funds will be to improve turnaround time and to slow the growth of backlogged cases through overtime and outsourcing.

nca/ncf