Missing Persons Backlog at FBI Crime Lab

The FBI crime lab has a DNA backlog of over 1,400 missing persons cases.The FBI crime lab in Quantico, VA, has an overall DNA backlog of 3,211 cases—which would take two years to clear, even without the addition of new cases. Because missing persons cases often lack the urgency of a trial date, the backlog of over 1,400 missing persons cases is rarely prioritized.

DNA from missing persons cases can take on average 600 days to be tested at the lab, according to a new report from the Inspector General at the Department of Justice

The Inspector General also criticizes the FBI for the slow and costly implementation of a new data tracking system that so far has cost over $8.9 million and taken five years.

Source: CBS News

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