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Crisis or gamesmanship behind proposed CA cuts to DNA testing?

California's forensic labs face an astonishing development as a result of that state's massive budget shortfall: The Los Angeles Sheriff has already halted the practice of sending rape kits out for DNA testing because the department has no money, plus, state crime labs are scheduled to have their budgets cut by half, forcing them to begin charging smaller jurisdictions for services like DNA and other forensic testing that they previously provided for free (as is the case with Texas' state crime labs). According to this item at The Huffington Post, "Last year, the state lab tested evidence in about 50,000 cases, including more than 1,400 containing DNA." Indeed,Hundreds of police departments and district attorneys' offices in 47 of the state's 58 counties currently rely on the state lab to test their crime scene evidence...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on June 27, 2009 (boomark / email).