Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Grits for Breakfast

Criminal Law

: Grits for Breakfast

Forensic backlogs force tough choices

Bradley Olson at the Houston Chronicle has a good piece on the problem of backlogs at the Houston crime lab ("Backlog woes continue at HPD lab," Jan. 27):The Houston Police Department has developed a backlog of more than 300 cases in which firearm forensics have not been performed, the third major area of evidence awaiting analysis to build up as the crime lab works to achieve full legitimacy after being engulfed in scandal for years. Despite years of effort aimed at cleaning up the problems that led to the wrongful convictions of at least four men, backlogs for thousands of cases also have developed in rape kits and fingerprint analysis. Although the recent issues highlighted in an audit of HPD's fingerprint unit do not involve the crime lab ? the two are separate entities ? police in both instances have cited ongoing staff shortages, retirements and training requirements to explain the backlog of evidence...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on January 27, 2010 (boomark / email).