The york county sheriffs office forensic biology laboratory is a local forensic laboratory that is part of the york county sheriffs office and funded by york county in south carolina

The York County Sheriff's Office Forensic Biology Laboratory received a $243,890 Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Comprehensive Forensic DNA Analysis Grant Program (CFDA 16.036). The funding will be used to enhance the laboratory's capacity to process and analyze DNA samples for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Specifically, the grant will support a robotic liquid handler validation project, required annual training, instrumentation maintenance, software upgrades for DNA data analysis and laboratory information management systems, and integration between the laboratory's systems to improve efficiency and meet accreditation requirements. These enhancements are intended to increase the number of CODIS-eligible DNA samples analyzed, reduce turnaround time for CODIS entry, and support long-term capacity expansion for the forensic laboratory.

York county is comprised of eight agencies which all may use the services of the laboratory. The york county sheriffs office requests funding from the FY24 DNA capacity enhancement for backlog reduction program to increase the capacity of the forensic biology laboratory to process and increase the capacity to process more DNA samples for entry into the combined DNA index system (codis). The objective is to increase the number of codis eligible samples analyzed in casework and reduce turnaround time for codis entry. Funding from this grant will be used to complete a validation project for a robotic liquid handler. In addition, funds will be used to offer required annual training, training to improve efficiency, maintain accreditation, and provide maintenance coverage for instrumentation. A software upgrade for DNA data analysis will promote more efficient processing of genetic analyzer data and upgrades to the forensic biology laboratory information management system (lims) worksheets are necessary. Finally, an integration between the laboratorys lims system and quality assurance software will promote efficiency in recording information that supports accreditation efforts. The outcomes of this award will support long-term capacity enhancement, meeting accreditation requirements, meeting the federal bureau of investigations quality assurance standards, and maintain capacity enhancing equipment.