Fiscal Year 2002 Report on the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants Program

• NCJ Number: 233972
• Date Published: August 2003
• Length: 3 pages
• Agencies: NIJ

Abstract

The Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Act (NFSIA), became Public Law 106-561 on December 21, 2000. This Act authorized grants to states to improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal justice purposes. In general, the NFSIA program provides funding to crime laboratories and medical examiner's offices through the State Administering Agency (SAA) based on population and crime statistics. The program provides funding for expenses related to facilities, personnel, equipment, computerization, supplies, accreditation, certification, and education and training. The Act authorized the following amounts: $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; $85,400,000 for fiscal year 2002; $134,733,000 for fiscal year 2003; $128,067,000 for fiscal year 2004; $56,733,000 for fiscal year 2005; and $42,067,000 for fiscal year 2006. There were no funds appropriated for this program in Fiscal Year 2001. In Fiscal Year 2002, $5,000,000 from funding appropriated for DNA Backlog Elimination programs was directed to the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act grants.