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Forensic DNA Education for Law Enforcement Decisionmakers

Overview

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Overview

Each laboratory has unique factors that affect the time required for testing.1 Time requirements for evidence testing can be divided into seven phases:

  • Phase 1: time between crime occurrence and submission of evidence to laboratory
  • Phase 2: time between evidence submission and start of analysis
  • Phase 3: time required to perform laboratory analysis
  • Phase 4: time required to conduct post-analysis laboratory activities
  • Phase 5: time involved in analytical report generation
  • Phase 6: time between report delivery and return of evidence to submitting agency
  • Phase 7: time between return of evidence and trial date

 

This section will examine the factors affecting each of these phases.

 

scientist testing evidence in lab
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (see reuse policy).

1 Report to the Mississippi Legislature A Review of the Department of Public Safety's Mississippi Crime Laboratory PDF download: 1MB

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