4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office Cold Case Initiative

The Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA program provides funds to support the prosecution of violent crime cold cases, where DNA from a suspect has been identified (suspect(s) may be known or unknown). Provided that DNA attributed to a known or unknown suspect has been identified, funding support includes investigative activities and crime and forensic analyses that could lead to prosecuting violent crime cold cases, and decreasing the number of violent crime cold cases awaiting prosecution.

The primary objectives are: 1) Prosecution of cold cases involving violent crime where suspects have been identified through DNA evidence; and 2) Decreasing the number of cold case violent crimes where suspect DNA has been identified. The following activities are permissible as secondary objectives. All secondary objective activities must directly relate to cases where suspect DNA has been identified which include: 1) Increasing the capacity for state and local prosecution offices to address cold cases involving violent crime; and 2) Identifying, locating, collecting, processing, and analyzing evidence, including non-DNA evidence, to assist prosecutors with the litigation of violent crime cold cases where suspect DNA has been identified.

The recipient will utilize grant funds to to prosecute unresolved violent crime cold cases and decrease the number of cold cases awaiting investigation and prosecution where DNA from a suspect has been identified through: 1) systematic case review, prioritization, and tracking; 2) the use of DNA and other forensic technologies, including familial and genetic genealogy to identify new leads; 3) entry of DNA and data into ViCAP, NamUs, and other relevant databases; and 4) enhanced collaboration with law enforcement and community partners through a multidisciplinary team.

CA/NCF