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Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)

Data from the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Grant Program

Program Moved

This program was transferred to the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Learn more about the program on BJA.ojp.gov.

The goal of NIJ's DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) program is to assist States and units of local government with existing crime laboratories to increase the capacity of publicly funded forensic DNA and DNA database laboratories to process more DNA samples, thereby helping...

Supporting States to Test Sexual Assault Evidence

April 2018

Crime laboratory and law enforcement personnel from three states discuss the value the NIJ-FBI Sexual Assault Kit Partnership to test sexual assault evidence and obtain investigatory leads.

During this partnership, NIJ is working with the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, to test eligible kits from law enforcement agencies and laboratories across the country and develop best practices that can improve the quality and speed of sexual assault kit processing. 

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Strengthening Our Nation's Crime Laboratories

April 2018

As technology improves, demand for analysis of DNA and other forensic evidence to help solve crimes grows. This video describes some of the challenges crime laboratories face in meeting this demand and how National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funding has strengthened crime labs and encouraged innovation in forensic techniques.

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Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later

June 2009

Technological advances have made it possible to detect male DNA in evidentiary samples collected several days after a sexual act has taken place. Panelists will present the research that has led to these findings, followed by a discussion of the potential impact of this work from the perspectives of the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) and the crime laboratory communities.

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Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later
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1 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Lois Tully, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Jack Ballantyne, National Center for Forensic Science , 3 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Patricia M. Speck, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , 4 of 4: Sexual Assault: Obtaining DNA From Evidence Collected up to a Week Later, Mechthild Prinz, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York, N.Y.

"Sentinel Event" Review in the Criminal Justice System

January 2014

Listen to James Doyle discuss the basics of a "sentinel event" review in the criminal justice system. This learning-from-error approach borrows from principles that medicine, aviation and other high-risk enterprises have successfully used. Former NIJ Fellow Doyle offers the basics to understand this innovative idea that takes a system-wide perspective of error, bringing all stakeholders together in a non-blaming, forward-looking way after a bad outcome, such as a wrongful conviction, occurs.

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"Sentinel Event" Review in the Criminal Justice System
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Listen to the recording

Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System

June 2010

Evidence backlogs have been known to be an issue in crime laboratories. A recent study published by NIJ has shown that backlogs of untested evidence are also an issue in law enforcement evidence storage. This panel will discuss the issues and present preliminary findings from a study of the Los Angeles Police Department's and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's experience with clearing out a large backlog of unanalyzed rape kits.

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Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System
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1 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Gerry LaPorte, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles , 3 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Kevin J. Strom, Senior Research Scientist, Crime, Violence, and Justice Research Program, RTI International , 4 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles , 5 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Dean M. Gialamas, Director, Scientific Services Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department , 6 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles , 7 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Jeffrey Nye, DNA Technical Leader, Forensic Science Division, Michigan State Police , 8 of 8: Backlogs and Their Impact on the Criminal Justice System, Joseph L. Peterson, Professor and Director, School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles

Familial DNA Searching: Issues and Answers

June 2011

Familial DNA searching is the practice of creating new investigative leads in cases where DNA evidence found at the scene of a crime strongly resembles that of an existing DNA profile but is not an exact match. Panelists will explain how the technology works, provide examples of successful convictions obtained through familial searches, and discuss the various misconceptions and concerns regarding this practice.

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Familial DNA Searching: Issues and Answers
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Familial DNA Searching: Issues and Answers

Director's Message: Addressing Sexual Assault Response — Moving Forward and Finding Solutions

This symposium presents a truly unique opportunity for you to participate in an unprecedented event on an important issue facing our nation: sexual assault.

I am pleased to announce that on September 8-9, 2016, through our longstanding commitment to improving sexual assault response, NIJ is hosting Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium, and I invite all to attend. This event will bring...

Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel

June 2009

Panelists will present findings from two NIJ studies that examined the DNA backlog in law enforcement agencies and crime labs. Panelists will discuss research findings related to new and potential time- and cost-saving approaches.

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Making Sense of the DNA Backlog - NIJ Conference Panel
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1 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Mark Nelson, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Kevin Lothridge, Chief Executive Officer, National Forensic Science Technology Center , 3 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Kevin J. Strom, Senior Research Scientist, Crime, Violence, and Justice Research Program, RTI International , 4 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Greg Matheson, Director, Los Angeles Police Department Criminalistics Laboratory , 5 of 5: Making Sense of the DNA Backlog, Question and Answer Session

Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories

May 2010

NIJ Conference Panel
 

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Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories
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1 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, William A. Ford, National Institute of Justice , 2 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Aaron Gorrell, President and CEO, Waterhole Software Inc. , 3 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Michael O'Berry, Operations Manager, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, National Forensic Science Technology Center , 4 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Kevin Kosiorek, Criminalist, Serology Section, Crime Laboratory Unit, Boston Police Department , 5 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Jim Markey, Sergeant, Phoenix Police Department , 6 of 6: Forensic Information Data Exchange and the Partnership Between Law Enforcement and Crime Laboratories, Aaron Gorrell, President and CEO, Waterhole Software Inc.