Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2017, $819,215)
The Indiana State Police Laboratory (ISP) has developed a comprehensive DNA backlog reduction program that uses overtime, equipment, supplies and training to impact the DNA backlog and reduce DNA case turnaround time.
Grant funds will be used for casework overtime and to purchase supplies for analysis of forensic biology cases. The ISP expects to analyze 2,000 forensic biology cases using funds from this grant.
Equipment will be purchased to replace old models that have reached their expected life span. Having reliable equipment helps prevent breakdowns and delays in analysis.
Travel and other funds will provide training and continuing education for all DNA analysts and supervisors. Training invigorates analysts leading to improved efficiency and case turnaround times.
The Indiana State Police (ISP) is the agency that is responsible for analyzing evidentiary material associated with criminal investigations for all state and local law enforcement agencies within the state of Indiana with the exception of Indianapolis/Marion County. ISP maintains four regional laboratories; Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Lowell Laboratories, that are all part of the grantee agency and are not sub-grantees. Indiana Code designates ISP as the agency responsible for conducting DNA analysis on samples collected from all convicted felons in the state of Indiana. ISP is responsible for storing and maintaining the resultant profiles in the Indiana DNA Database. The Indianapolis Regional Laboratory maintains the DNA Database Unit.
The ISP is facing budgetary constraints. State funds for overtime, equipment, supplies, training and contracts is non-existent or very limited. This has placed a burden on the Laboratory Division to maintain operations. The Federal funding from this award will help to alleviate this burden as well as assist in giving analysts more time and supplies to work forensic casework. This award will be specifically used for the following goals:
1. Reduce the backlog and turnaround time of forensic biology cases.
2. Increase the capacity and capabilities of the ISP casework laboratories.
3. Maintain continuing education for all analysts in the lab.
nca/ncf