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DNA technician, surrounded by multiple items of evidence to be processed in a laboratory.

Interacting With Crime Laboratories

Causes of Backlog

Laboratory Backlog4

A backlog in a crime laboratory typically refers to evidence that has been received and is awaiting analysis.5 Evidence in a case, once received at the laboratory, goes through a prioritization process to determine the order in which the evidence is analyzed. Factors affecting the priority assigned to evidence include:

4 Matthew J. Hickman and Joseph L. Peterson, Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratories 50 Largest Crime Labs, Bureau of Justice Statistics Fact Sheet (2004) PDF download: 484kB • Visit the Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics »
5 DNA.gov »

Federal Reviews and Audits:
United States Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory’s Forensic DNA Case Backlog (2010) PDF download: 996kB • Visit the United States Department of Justice FBI Reports »
Response to OIG Audit of the FBI Laboratory’s Forensic DNA Case Backlog (2010) »


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