FY 2017 DNA Backlog Reduction

The Monroe County Crime Laboratory (MCCL) is a regional crime lab that provides forensic services for an eight county region of New York State. On January 1, 2016, there were thirty-three (33) homicides, ninety (90) sexual assaults, twenty-eight (28) robberies, thirty-seven (37) assaults, ninety-seven (97) burglaries, and two hundred two (202) other types of cases awaiting DNA analysis.
County and State funding will be used to maintain the existing staff and to train them in more types of analytical techniques. Federal resources will be used to purchase supplies, maintain quality assurance of existing equipment, and to provide the required continuing education for existing DNA analysts.
The goals of this project are to:
- Coordinate funding with existing grants to maximize the laboratory's analysis capacity
- Provide continuing education and training by:
- Send senior staff members to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences annual meeting, Green Mountain DNA Conference, or a regional forensic science organization annual meeting, and the Technical Leader to the Technical Leader Summit
- Contract with a DNA subject matter expert to provide in-house continuing education for the DNA analysts unable to travel.
- Provide training in probabilistic genotyping software for one DNA trainee
- Purchase supplies to compensate for the laboratory’s current budget gap and maintain the projected casework needs.
- Replace aging equipment.
- Fulfill accreditation requirements through:
- acquire relevant scientific literature
- calibration and certification of equipment.
Coordination of all resources is essential for the current and future success of Forensic DNA operations at the Monroe County Crime Laboratory. By the continued use of state of the art technology and continuing the education of the staff through training, the laboratory will continue to work towards elimination of the backlog and reduction of casework turnaround time.

nca/ncf