The District of Columbia's State Administering Agency, Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants, will collaborate with the Department of Forensic Science and the Office of the Chief Medical Examin

The Office of Victim Services Justice Grants (OVSJG) is the District of Columbia’s State Administering Agency for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program. The District of Columbia’s Consolidated Forensic Laboratory (CFL) is co-located with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). The funds from this program will be used to send OCME’s scientific staff members to national forensic conferences in order to learn current information and cutting-edge updates in this field. The question of how opioids are being obtained has moved more prominently to the forefront within Digital Forensics. Findings often include the use of multiple mobile devices to coordinate illegal transactions and query for the availability of opioids within a circle of contacts. Obtaining access to data on mobile devices can aid criminal investigations. DFS seeks to reduce the backlog and turn-around time by upgrading forensic technology and expanding digital evidence storage. Outcomes for both agencies will include improving the quality and timeliness of services and enhancing the capacity of the agencies and their teams. NCA/NCF