U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo announced last week that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded $600,000 in funding to the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Center for Forensic Sciences to reduce the backlog of DNA casework and ensure justice can be served for victims of both violent and non-violent crimes. With this funding, the state’s crime lab expects to typically process cases within 30 days for violent crimes and 90 days for non-violent crimes.
“No victim of a crime should have to wait for justice to be served because of insufficient resources to analyze DNA evidence in a timely fashion,” said Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and former U.S. Attorney and Rhode Island Attorney General. “This federal funding will help retain qualified forensic scientists, make upgrades to the state’s laboratory, and bring justice and closure to victims throughout Rhode Island.”
“This federal funding will help the state’s crime lab effectively process DNA samples, solve more cases, and help law enforcement bring perpetrators to justice,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.
This grant funding, which comes through the Department of Justice’s DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program, will help the Center for Forensic Sciences’ Forensic Biology and DNA Laboratory continue to reduce the backlog of DNA casework. Funding will also prevent future backlogs with the purchase of new DNA analysis instruments, an upgraded laboratory information management system, and increased education and training opportunities for scientists. With these investments, the Forensic Biology and DNA Laboratory expects to reduce the DNA casework backlog by at least 125 cases and continue to be able to process incoming cases within an average 90-day time frame for non-violent crimes and a 30-day time frame for violent crimes.
“As forensic technology advancements help investigators better match DNA found at crime scenes, it’s critically important that we invest in new instruments and training to help secure justice for victims of crime in Rhode Island — no matter how much time has elapsed,” said Congressman Amo. “This federal investment by the Department of Justice will reduce the casework backlog and bolster our state’s capacity to process incoming DNA cases quickly and efficiently.”
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice also awarded four Rhode Island organizations $1,827,502 in federal funding to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
The funding breaks down as follows:
- $960,123 for Sojourner House to provide housing assistance and support services to victims of human trafficking throughout the state. Sojourner House will also collaborate with and train local partners to improve their capacity to identify and respond to victims of human trafficking.
- $500,000 for the Women’s Resource Center of Newport & Bristol to support its Pet Friendly Transitional Housing Program for Victims of Domestic Violence Project. The three-year initiative will expand Rhode Island’s capacity to house victims of domestic violence and their companion animals in transitional housing. The Women’s Resource Center will also assist survivors in their journey towards achieving personal, family, housing, and economic stability, with a focus on engaging individuals and organizations from historically underserved populations.
- $252,846 for Day One to provide sexual assault treatment, intervention, education, advocacy, and prevention services to Rhode Islanders of all ages.
- $114,533 for the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence to carry out its mission of supporting and enhancing the work of coalition member agencies and to lead on the issue of domestic violence prevention in Rhode Island.
“This federal funding is a wise investment in coordinated strategies that support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking and help to break down barriers in accessing critical resources, housing, and care,” said Reed. “I’m proud to work with my colleagues in the delegation to deliver these funds for Sojourner House, the Women’s Resource Center of Newport & Bristol, Day One, and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence to support their vital work and to help survivors rebuild a healthy, safe life for themselves and their families.”
“Organizations across Rhode Island do heroic work to provide a lifeline to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault – many of whom are in the darkest moment of their lives,” said Whitehouse. “This federal funding will support four outstanding local nonprofits as they carry out their important missions and help survivors reclaim their lives.”
Republished courtesy of RI Delegation