FY15 Institute of Forensic Sciences of Puerto Rico DNA Backlog Reduction Program

The PRIFS is an autonomous, full service forensic facility and currently serves the U.S. Citizens of Puerto Rico and stakeholders at the federal and local levels. Currently, the Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences has an existing forensic DNA Laboratory which is fully accredited by ASCLD-LAB and the FBI since 2008.

The proposed goals for this funding is to continue reducing Casework and Convicted Offender/Arrestee backlogs and increase throughput. FY2015 DNA Backlog Reduction Program funding will be used to retain currently employed personnel: six (6) forensic DNA Analysts and five (5) forensic technicians, for a 12 month period. Overtime funds are also requested for in-house and transitory analysts and forensic technicians. A minimum of 116 forensic cases will be analyzed based on supplies/overtime funding requested; whereas a minimum of 1,610 CO/Arrestee single-source samples will be outsourced to virtually eliminate this type of backlog at the Institute when outsourcing under this proposal is completed. In lieu of the funding requested for personnel retention, a minimum of 204 additional forensic cases will be analyzed. In additio funds are requested overtime and supplies used for the validation needed for the implementation fo the new additional loci into the DNA Laboratory operations. Funds will also be used for attendance of personnel to the CODIS and PROMEGA annual conference and registration and workshop fees. A CODIS Consulting Services by a CODIS consultant who currently works in an ASCLD-LAB/FBI accredited laboratory is requested to provide continuity to this important service and future aggressive efforts to eliminate CO/Arrestee backlog. Lastly, funds will be used for acquisition of supplies with which to carry out the proposed backlog reductions. All CO/Arrestee single-source genetic profiles obtained herein will be revised on a timely fashion and, if NDIS Acceptance Criteria is met, transferred to CODIS and uploaded to NDIS within 30 days of their receipt from the outsourcing vendor.

nca/ncf.