Note:
This awardee has received supplemental funding. This award detail page includes information about both the original award and supplemental awards.
Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2003, $3,250,125)
The overarching goal of this program is to provide product and services of importance to forensic science laboratories and practitioners, to ultimately allow them to enhance the capacity and capabilities of their laboratories and operations. The Forensic Science Initiative at West Virginia University (WVU FSI) employs funds from this cooperative agreement for program support, and then forwards specific efforts related to: 1) enhancement of the scientific basis of forensic fiber examinations, comparisons and interpretations; 2) employment of hand-held computer devices to increase the productivity of forensic DNA and other laboratory operations; 3) support for a conference on Science & the Law and a conference for Crime Laboratory Directors to improve the knowledge base of stakeholders of, and key leaders in, forensic science, effectuating the utility of forensic results in the criminal justice process; and 4) specific research programs related to fractals and pattern evidence, watermarking databank files, glass database information mining, and advancing forensic computer science. As a Forensic Resource Network partner, the WVU FSI through these funds will also contribute to the overall goals and mission for this important NIJ-funded consortium.
nca/ncf