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ACJC receives more than $1 million in federal
DNA/forensics funds from National Institute of Justice
On Sept. 21, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) was awarded more
than $1 million from the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice
for DNA/forensics improvement initiatives in the state of Arizona. ACJC applied
for the funding under three grant proposals: the Paul Coverdell National
Forensic Sciences Improvement Act, the Laboratory Capacity Enhancement Program
and the DNA Forensic Casework Backlog Reduction program. Details of each
grant's funding objectives, priorities and awarded amounts follow.
DNA FUNDING: Paul Coverdell National Forensics
Sciences Improvement Act
The Paul Coverdell National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act (NFSIA),
administered through the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice,
provides funds through a two-part grant program--a formula grant program and a
discretionary program. The NFSIA program provides funding to crime laboratories
and medical examiners' offices based on population and crime statistics. The
program permits funding for expenses related to facilities, personnel,
computerization, equipment, supplies, accreditation, certification, education,
and training. The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, as the State
Administrating Agency, applied for funding under the Paul Coverdell Forensic
Science Improvement Grant Program on behalf of six laboratories throughout
Arizona. The Commission is representing four full service forensic crime
laboratories and two medical examiners offices in Maricopa County and Pima
County. Grant funds will be used to provide training and education, laboratory
information management system upgrades, equipment needs and accreditation
costs. Agencies working in a collaborative statewide effort include: Arizona
Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory, Maricopa County Office of the
Medical Examiner, Mesa Police Department Crime Laboratory, Scottsdale Police
Department Crime Laboratory, Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner and
Tucson Police Department Crime Laboratory. Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
applied for and received $207,752 from the National Institute of Justice.
DNA INITIATIVE FUNDING: Laboratory Capacity
Enhancement
The 2004 DNA Laboratory Capacity Enhancement Program, administered by Department
of Justice's National Institute of Justice, will provide funding for enhanced
capabilities of the local laboratories in Arizona to improve the processing of
DNA evidence in a more timely fashion. Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, as
the State Administrative Agency (SAA), will administer the grants on behalf of
the Scottsdale, Phoenix, Tucson, and Mesa Police Department laboratories Scottsdale
Police Department's Crime Laboratory plans to reduce the turnaround
time per case in the DNA unit, beginning with the purchase of Lab Information
Management System licenses and installation of new computers. This will enable
the DNA unit to expedite the process of generating reports and disseminating
disclosure information.
Phoenix Police Department's Forensic Biology Section is currently
working in a laboratory that has inadequate space. The DNA Capacity Enhancement
Program Formula Grant will be used to further enhance the Forensic Biology
Section's ability to process incoming cases in a timely and effective manner.
The Tucson Police Department laboratory finds that it has a backlog of
317 cases as of April 2004. From 1999 to 2000 the agency had a 624% increase in
requests for DNA analyses. The agency will use grant funds to purchase a Real
Time PCR, an instrumental method that will provide the DNA analysts with
accurate data instead of estimates and will result in a decrease in the turn
around time for analyses.
The Mesa Police Department laboratory is in need of equipment to assist
in the processing of nearly 1,000 backlogged cases presently in the system from
violent and non-violent crimes. The Biology Unit cannot meet the needs of an
ever increasing demand for DNA testing of evidence from both violent and
non-violent crimes. Grant funds will be used to purchase technical equipment
and a computer workstation. By providing this equipment analysts will no longer
have to wait to use the same piece of equipment and will be able to continue
through the DNA processes without delays. Also, the grant will provide funds
for continuing education for members of the Biology Unit. The Arizona Criminal
Justice Commission received $376,662 in DNA Laboratory Capacity Enhancement
funding from the National Institute of Justice in 2004.
DNA forensic casework backlog reduction
Arizona crime laboratories recognize the importance of the reliability of DNA
evidence and as a consortium are determining how to improve laboratory
efficiencies and reduce backlogs. Through the DNA Forensic Casework Backlog
Reduction Grant, administered by Department of Justice's National Institute of
Justice, a collective approach will be taken by the following Arizona local
full service laboratories: Phoenix Police Department, Scottsdale Police
Department, Tucson Police Department and Mesa Police Department. The Arizona
Criminal Justice Commission, representing these local laboratories and acting
as the State Administrative Agency (SAA), will coordinate efforts toward the
statewide initiative to eliminate existing backlogs. In addition, ACJC will
coordinate accountability and monitoring with Arizona's DNA and Technology Task
Force (Task Force) facilitated by the Arizona Office of the Attorney General.
Currently, the number of backlog cases for the agencies represented by ACJC
total more than 4,300 cases.
Goals and Objectives:
The laboratories collectively met to determine the components each agency will
measure for accountability and tracking. Objectives determined were:
* within three months of the grant award each laboratory will assess all
aspects of the laboratory forensic DNA evidence examination to identify
bottlenecks and general inefficiencies and
* within 18 months reduce the backlog of DNA cases by 5 percent.
Methods of achieving goals/reporting process
Each laboratory will be required to assess all aspects of their forensic DNA
evidence examination to identify bottlenecks and general inefficiencies that
could be alleviated with forensic DNA casework funds. A report from each local
laboratory will be presented to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission as a
grant measurement guideline and will be shared as well with the Arizona DNA and
Technology Task Force in order for all agencies to benefit from the successes
of each agency. The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission received $430,047 in
DNA forensic casework backlog reduction funding from the National Institute of
Justice in 2004.
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