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Backlogs continue to plague crime labs nationwide
Posted: February 27, 2007
When forensic labs are understaffed and underfunded, the chances are higher that mistakes will be made or shortcuts taken. Justice is compromised when thorough testing is not available due to delays or shortfalls. Many states nationwide – along with the FBI crime lab – are facing such backlogs.
In Tennessee, a crime lab backlog shows no sign of easing. 68 TBI analysts currently do 250,000 tests a year.
Kentucky’s crime lab is months behind, with 450 DNA cases waiting for testing.
An audit has also found backlogs in the Maryland crime lab.
Previous blog posts – Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida and the federal government are all considering database expansions despite backlogs.