Answer:
Forensic science R&D in the 1980s laid the groundwork for advances in the 1990s and early 2000s that had a profound impact on crime laboratories. Although the scientific advances, particularly the growth of DNA testing, provided more effective tools for analyzing evidence and identifying perpetrators, they also led to a dramatic increase in the demand for lab services. By the late 1990s and through the 2000s, demand outstripped the ability of the labs to respond quickly and efficiently. Today, scientists and technicians at forensic labs are under relentless pressure to produce results faster and at lower cost. NIJ employs a two-pronged approach to supporting forensic labs:
• In the short term, NIJ awards grants to labs that cover the increasing costs of processing cases, assist in DNA backlog reduction and support ongoing efforts to adopt more advanced instrumentation and analytical methods.
• In the long term, NIJ awards grants to scientists to conduct research, both basic and applied, that can lead to methods, techniques and technology that will advance forensic science and, ultimately, public safety and justice.
Innovation is an essential way to assist crime labs. For example, high-tech robotic workstations can now process large numbers of DNA samples simultaneously, allowing crime labs to work more efficiently. NIJ-supported research helped in the development of fully automated systems that amplify DNA from small samples to determine a person’s genetic profile. The workstations not only make labs more efficient but also lower the cost of DNA processing.
NIJ is also funding several projects that seek to apply more sophisticated methods to detect and analyze evidence. Examining evidence for trace amounts of blood or other biological material is time consuming for law enforcement and crime lab personnel, and it requires techniques that can compromise or destroy evidence. One NIJ-funded project involves developing a camera with multispectral and fluorescence imaging capabilities to detect and identify fingerprints, body fluids, stains and other residues at crime scenes. Such imaging technology would make it easier for investigators to find and process evidence while minimizing evidence contamination.
Researchers working on another NIJ-supported project are developing methods that will allow investigators to identify the body fluids in a stain without destroying any of the stained material. Researchers are also exploring how to use one sample to determine multiple pieces of information, such as body fluid type and genetic information associated with identity.
Explanation:
