FY2015 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCES

The State of Alabama - and ADFS specifically - continues to face serious budgetary constraints,already having experienced a 43% reduction in State level funding for forensic services over the last
seven (7) years. ADFS is also beginning to see the reality of increased database sample submissions arising from the implementation of an 'all felony arrestee' DNA testing statute, which was first implemented in 2010, and recently expanded in May, 2015.
The Federal funding from this award will greatly offset these serious shortfalls, and will be used to realize the following goals:
1. Reduce the forensic DNA case backlog through analyst overtime and the purchase of Biology supplies.
2. Reduce the DNA database sample backlog through analyst overtime and the purchase of database supplies.
3. Enhance the infra-structure and DNA casework laboratory capacity of the ADFS DNA
Laboratories through the purchase of:
• Four (4) Thermal Cyclers for the PCR amplification of DNA casework. Each thermal cycler will be assigned to one of the four (4) ADFS Regional DNA Laboratories to increase the overall laboratory capacity of the DNA laboratory to perform DNA casework; Two (2) Thermomixer/H2O Baths and two (2) microcentrifuges to increase the laboratory capacity for DNA extractions performed within
the Huntsville Regional DNA Laboratory; Four (4) Alternate Light Source systems to improve and increase the capacity and infrastructure for analysts to screen casework evidence for the presence of
biological fluids within each of the four (4) Regional DNA Casework Laboratories; One (1) IT Intrusion Protection System and four (4) Network Servers and firewalls to upgrade the ADFS IT infrastructure to further insure the protection of each of the ADFS statewide DNA Laboratory networks present within each of the four (4) ADFS Regional DNA Casework Laboratories and the DNA Databank Laboratory.
The ADFS expects to test at least 850 cases by the end of the Award period, resulting in a significant reduction in the statewide backlog of cases awaiting testing. The ADFS DNA Databank laboratory also expects to process at least 4,400 DNA database samples (which includes 400 QC samples) using
Federal funding. The statewide turnaround time on Biology casework is expected to be reduced by an additional 15 days, with the analyst throughput in the casework sections expected to increase a minimum of 7%.

nca/ncf.