FY 2018 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program

The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI) is a State of Texas criminal justice agency that provides forensic DNA analysis at no cost to law enforcement agencies primarily in Tarrant and the surrounding counties of north central Texas to assist in decreasing the number of backlog forensic DNA cases. The DNA analysis is primarily for UCR, Part 1, Crime Cases, i.e., aggravated assaults, forcible rape, murder, robbery and property crimes. UNTCHI serves as an adjunct laboratory to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) State Crime Laboratory. TXDPS and other agencies within the state routinely refer forensic cases to UNTCHI which require routine DNA testing and/or mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis and those cases that need familial and/or kinship relatedness statistical analysis.

Funds from this award allow UNTCHI to continue assisting agencies in reducing the number of forensic DNA samples awaiting analysis, maintain or reduce the current turn-around time, and complete the DNA analysis on a minimum of 250 cases. By the end of the award period it is anticipated that each analyst will complete a minimum of 8 cases per month or approximately 16 samples per analyst per month, and maintain or decrease the current average turn-around time of 105 days per case. Approximately 1% of cases submitted to UNTCHI require mtDNA analysis which requires additional processing and testing time compared to traditional STR testing. All eligible forensic DNA profiles are entered into CODIS v7.0 (or latest version) and uploaded into NDIS where applicable.

NCA/NCF