Governor Announces Grant Awarded to Department of Forensic Sciences for DNA Backlog Reduction Program

By: Lori Davis, Digital Content Producer

MONTGOMERY (Governor’s Office) — Governor Robert Bentley on Tuesday announced that the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences has been awarded more than a million dollars to fund their DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction program.

The National Institute of Justice, part of the U.S. Department of Justice, awarded ADFS the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant of $1,075,272 to be used to help reduce the backlog of cases with DNA evidence. The ADFS expects to test at least 850 cases and process nearly 7,700 DNA database samples using the federal funds.

“The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences serves as an essential asset to law enforcement agencies and citizens across the state,” said Governor Bentley. “This federal funding will help alleviate some of the wait time for forensic results that will lead to the prosecution of perpetrators and bring closure to families for unsolved cases.”

In the last year alone, ADFS identified a suspect in over 700 previously unsolved cases through a search of the Combined DNA Index System and has also aided in over 6,000 investigations to date since the inception of the DNA program in Alabama.

“I would like to thank Governor Robert Bentley and the National Institute of Justice for the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant award,” said Michael Sparks, Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences Director. “During these times of budget constraints, all sources of funding are vitally important to any state agency and ADFS is no exception. These funds will be utilized by ADFS primarily to purchase supplies necessary for forensic case backlog reduction, but also to defray a portion of the training costs required to maintain critical international accreditation.”

ADFS receives over 50,000 cases annually, and they serve as the only accredited crime laboratory system within the state.