FY2015 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program-Iowa Department of Public Safety

The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation Crime Laboratory (Iowa DCI Crime Lab) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidential material that is associated with criminal investigations for all state and local law enforcement agencies within the state of Iowa. The Code of the State of Iowa designates the Iowa DCI crime lab as the agency responsible for conducting DNA analysis on DNA samples collected from crime scenes as well as DNA samples collected from all individuals convicted of a felony, certain aggravated misdemeanors, and sexual offenses within the State of Iowa. The Iowa DCI crime lab is a single laboratory system.

The Iowa DCI crime lab is facing budgetary constraints due to the inability to replace staffing lost over the last five years. The Iowa DCI crime lab has also realized a significant increase the number of DNA database samples that need to be analyzed due to the addition of certain aggravated misdemeanors.

The Federal funding from this award will be used for the following goals:

1. Reduce the backlog and increase capacity of forensic biology/DNA cases.
2. Reduce the backlog and increase capacity and capability in the databasing section.

nca/ncf.