FY 2018 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program

The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, the parent organization of the Laboratory of Forensic Services (Crime Laboratory), is expected to experience a year in which no new growth requests for positions will be approved for the 2018 2019 fiscal year.

Although the Crime Laboratory has seen a 12 percent decrease in the number of requests for biology/DNA analysis from 2016 to 2017, there continues to be a backlog of old rape kits that were not previously worked.

Historically, the Crime Laboratory only analyzed rape kits that were specifically identified for analysis by law enforcement agencies or a deputy district attorney. This practice resulted in thousands of untested kits.

The Crime Laboratory has been working to reduce the number of untested kits for many years. Approximately 900 untested rape kits remain ranging from part of 2007 to 2008 through 2010. These kits will be added to the Crime Laboratory’s backlog as they
are re-submitted for analysis. It is the Crime Laboratory’s current practice to analyze all rape kits submitted and to upload all eligible DNA profiles into CODIS (Combined DNA Index System).

NCA/NCF