FY 2018 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Regional Crime Laboratory ("Lab") requests $278,225 in program funding to increase its DNA analysis capacity and reduce backlog. The funding will be used to: pay overtime salary and benefits for analysts to examine backlogged DNA cases; replace the Lab's outdated thermal cyclers with new models; purchase additional DNA analysis supplies; buy additional copies of "GMID-X" software; upgrade the Lab's "HID RT-PCR" software to the latest version; buy support and annual upgrade services for the Lab's "STRmix" software; purchase additional computers for the Lab's CODIS administrators; extend the lease on a copier used in the Lab; and send the Lab's DNA analysts to continuing education events.

The goals of the project funded by this award are to improve DNA sample analysis throughput, decrease the Lab's backlog of unanalyzed DNA cases, and shorten the average length of time needed to analyze DNA evidence. NCA/NCF