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Los Angeles DNA Evidence Backlog: The Perfect Storm

By Neil Shous, Esq.

According to a NPR report, a recent audit of the Los Angeles Police Department crime labs found that the department had missed legal deadlines to test DNA samples that were collected as evidence in over 200 rape cases. Police Chief Bill Bratton pointed to a lack of funding and manpower in the DNA lab as an explanation for the missed deadlines. Bratton cited a $500,000 shortfall in federal funding and delays in hiring 16 new lab technicians which strained the crime lab?s ability to process DNA evidence. In the NPR interview, Bratton stated that processing DNA evidence is ?extraordinarily labor-intensive?not CSI,? and that ?there are just not enough people in the crime lab to do the work.? That situation is not likely to improve soon. Beginning this year, 2009, the state of California will be required to collect DNA from all adults arrested?not charged?for a felony offense...continue to full post

Full post as published by California Criminal Defense Blog on February 18, 2009 (boomark / email).