Avoiding Steep Costs

Costs Associated With Investigative Efforts

Investigative efforts are as valuable as laboratory resources, and can be just as costly.^5,6

When forensic laboratory best practices are not implemented and followed, there is a risk that investigative efforts will be wasted chasing false or incomplete leads. Investigative efforts will be impacted if the laboratory performs the wrong type of testing or tests items that are not a priority. To minimize this risk, increased collaboration between case officers and laboratory personnel is required so that needs and expectations are clearly defined and understood.

Establishing a collaborative team can be difficult.
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⁵ Simon Ashikhmin, Susan G. Berdine, Mitchell R. Morrissey, and Greggory S. LaBerge, Effectiveness and Cost Efficiency of DNA Evidence In Volume Crime Denver Colorado Site Summary pp5,6 PDF download: 80kB • Visit the Denver District Attorney »
⁶ What Does It Take to Make a Collaboration Work? Lessons Learned Through the Criminal Justice System Project NIJ Publication (2004) PDF download: 284kB • Visit the National Criminal Justice Reference Service »