Arizona medical examiners'' offices will be reducing the number of unknown decedents by submitting extracted bone and tooth samples for DNA testing and having the profiles entered onto CODIS and NamUS

The primary goal of this project is to reduce the number of missing and unidentified decedents in Arizona by completing DNA analysis of human remains and entering the profiles into CODIS by the end of the grant period. Funding is requested specifically to inventory all specimens and prioritize samples to send for analysis; to assist with the analysis of DNA at the University of North Texas or the Arizona Department of Public Safety; and to aid with exhumations and sample extractions (if needed). The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission will provide grant oversight for programmatic and financial reporting to the National Institute of Justice.

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