Formula Grant 15PBJA24GG02645DNAX

The District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) received a $600,000 Formula Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Comprehensive Forensic DNA Analysis Grant Program (CFDA 16.036). The funding will be used to enhance the capacity of the Forensic Biology Unit within DFS by reducing case backlogs and decreasing turnaround times for forensic biology casework.

Specifically, the grant will fund seven full-time positions, including three Forensic Scientists I, three Forensic Scientists II, and one Forensic Science Technician. These personnel will increase the in-house DNA testing capacity to address the growing number of casework requests from submitting agencies. The Forensic Scientists will be responsible for processing casework, performing critical laboratory functions, and reporting findings, while the Technician will support continuity of operations through tasks like reagent preparation, quality control, instrument maintenance, and evidence handling. This will improve productivity and efficiency, ultimately reducing turnaround time for forensic biology cases and supporting more timely and effective criminal investigations in the District of Columbia.