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DOJ Press Release letterhead

  • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  • Thursday, February 10, 2011
  • ojp.gov
  • Contact: Office of Justice Programs
  • Telephone: Sheila Jerusalem
  • (202) 307-0703

******PUBLICATION ADVISORY******

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PUBLICATION EXPLORES THE PERSISTENCE OF
DNA BACKLOGS IN CRIME LABORATORIES

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) today announced the release of Making Sense of DNA Backlogs, 2010 - Myths vs. Reality. The NIJ "Special Report" is an update to the original 2009 report and presents the latest data from state and local crime laboratories on DNA backlogs.

Due in large part to federal funding, the capacity of laboratories to analyze DNA casework has steadily increased. DNA backlogs in crime laboratories persist, and demand for DNA testing often surpasses a crime laboratory's capacity. This report examines the myths and realities of DNA backlogs in crime laboratories and explains why backlogs persist despite the substantial influx of funding and increased capacity to analyze samples.

TITLE: "Making Sense of DNA Backlogs, 2010 - Myths vs. Reality,"
a Special Report from the National Institute of Justice
AUTHOR: Mark Nelson, National Institute of Justice
WHERE: National Criminal Justice Reference Service
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/232197.pdf
NCJ 232197

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The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has seven bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Community Capacity Development Office; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). More information about OJP and its components can be found at https://ojp.gov.