NCJ Number
137511
Date Published
1991
Length
35 pages
Annotation
While it seems certain that DNA fingerprinting can be successfully accomplished in the crime laboratory setting and used to enhance other physiological evidence, there are several issues that laboratories, parent agencies, and clients must consider when taking important management decisions.
Abstract
A major issue is estimating the potential demand for DNA printing services in serology cases and assessing whether a laboratory's caseload will provide sufficient experience to maintain the professional level of the staff once they are trained in DNA analysis. Existing staff, equipment, and facilities in most laboratories are inadequate to handle the demands presented by a new DNA program. The costs and benefits of acquiring this capability must be balanced against the alternative of contracting out the service or referring the work to a government agency. At both the State and individual laboratory levels, administrators must decide how much centralization is necessary. The best administrative structure for a DNA program is determined by cost effectiveness, quality control, standardization, and responsiveness to the needs of the local criminal justice system. Method selection and validation, as well as standardization, are other important management considerations. Each laboratory needs a quality assurance program that addresses the preservation of evidence, competence of analysts, procedures and equipment used in testing, and casework documentation and testimony. The crime laboratory must also establish a strong outreach program with other agencies in the criminal justice system and mechanisms for peer review of its practitioners. 52 references and 1 appendix