Through a combination of laboratory accountability measures, lab robotics, rapid DNA, lean six-sigma efficiencies and the hiring of additional forensic scientists, the Illinois State Police (ISP) have achieved a 33% overall reduction in the Biology/DNA forensic backlog, ISP director Brendan Kelly announced earlier this month.
“The many forensic initiatives we’ve begun during Governor Pritzker’s time in office are converging to produce real results. Our forensic scientists have done good work to reduce the backlog, and now is the time to redouble those efforts and continue the momentum to build up this increasingly important pillar of the justice system,” Kelly said.
Pursuant to that goal, ISP’s Forensic Science Task Force has debuted a recommendations roadmap to further progress and improvements.
Goal 1: Improve Communication
To reduce waste of forensic resources in an already-constrained timeline, communication between crime laboratories and the court system for the laboratory needs to be improved. Whether through a laboratory information management system, email, text or phone call, better communication will ensure forensic analysts are aware of the current status of criminal cases. They will then be able to make more informed decisions on next steps, priorities, evidence tracking/return, etc.
Goal 2: More Testing
Any forensic analyst—any scientist really—will tell you their favorite part of the job is the actual science. It’s not the paperwork, it’s not the meetings and, for crime lab analysts, it’s certainly not court testimony. With commuting and procedural time, testimony keeps forensic analysts out of the laboratory for hours at a time.
The Forensic Task Force acknowledged this was “inefficient use of forensic scientists.” Their recommendation is to develop best practices on the potential use of remote testimony, especially in forensic sections of drug chemistry and toxicology. Remote and video courtrooms have been increasingly used throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, so now may be the perfect time to investigate an alternative that allows analysts to stay in the lab.
Goal 3: Increased Training
Forensics is an incredibly difficult discipline, and science is ever-changing. Thus, both current and future forensic scientists need access to educational, research and professional training opportunities. To do this, the Task Force recommends partnering with a university to create a “Forensic Science Institute” that can address all aspects of forensic sciences, from evidence collection by crime scene investigators to preservation and analysis of evidence, reporting and courtroom testimony.
Goal 4: Reform Procurement
The creation of a new position—Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)— is recommended as a fiscal watchdog exclusively for forensics. The ideal candidate would have the technical understanding necessary to understand, identify and review obstacles to the acquisition of supplies, equipment and services for ISP crime laboratories as well as other publicly funded labs in the state. ISP currently has six laboratories employing almost 500 forensic personnel.
“These recommendations will strengthen our ability to seek justice for victims and ensure justice isn’t delayed,” Kelly said. “As part of our continued efforts, the state must seek out improvements in training, procurement and justice system communication that are essential to the continued reduction of forensic backlogs.”
According to the ISP, for every forensic assignment completed nationally, another 1.2 are created. The drug epidemic of the last decade in addition to advancing technology that requires the reanalysis of evidence from now-cold cases has only inflated the numbers. In Illinois specifically, Kelly believes the backlog exists for deeper reasons.
“Long term underinvestment in Illinois labs combined with a lack of access to the latest technology solutions has compounded the problem,” Kelly said.