U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 FY 2015 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program/Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences
Award Information
Awardee
              Harris County
Award #
              2015-DN-BX-0008
Funding Category
              Formula
Location
                    Houston, TX
Awardee County
              Harris
Congressional District
              9
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2015
Total funding (to date)
              $639,942
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 15 DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2015, $639,942)
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences Forensic Genetics Laboratory will use funds from the NIJ DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program to decrease the casework backlog and reduce turnaround time for violent crime cases.  Harris County is the largest county in Texas and the fourth largest county in the nation.  The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences Forensic Genetics Laboratory provides forensic DNA analysis to approximately 65 law enforcement agencies in the county, excluding the Houston Police
Department. According to the 2013 United Sates Census Bureau, Harris County had an estimated population of 2.1 million people living outside the Houston city limits. In the Texas Crime Report for 2013 released by Texas Department of Public Safety, approximately 80,000 offenses were committed in Harris County comprised of 10,000 personal crimes and 70,000 property type crimes.  The Harris County Institute of Forensic Science Forensic Genetics Laboratory received 4,000 DNA cases in 2013 and 4,885 cases in 2014, with increases in both personal and property crime cases. Current staffing levels are not enough to handle this increase in case submissions. We will use NIJ grant funds to assist in reducing the current casework backlog and reduce case turnaround time by increasing personnel through contract staff and by purchasing supplies and software. Contract serologists will allow the laboratory to increase the number of cases screened for DNA processing each month. It is estimated that at least 155 cases will be processed by grant funded Serologists. Supplies will be purchased to analyze cases that could not be processed using county funding. It is estimated at least 256 cases will be analyzed with grant funded supplies. In addition to these measures to increase case output, the laboratory will also purchase a software system to aid in the deconvolution  and statistical analysis of DNA mixtures.  The software purchase will aid efforts to apply more precise statistical analysis to complex DNA mixtures that exhibit stochastic effects.   Finally, funds from this award will be used to provide required continuing DNA education to approximately 18 DNA Analysts.
nca/ncf.

  
Date Created: September 21, 2015
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      NIJ Innovations in Measuring Community Perceptions Challenge Winner: Albrecht & Smirnova
                  Understanding and Refining Violence Intervention Implementation: St. Louis (MO) as a Crucial Case
                  Community-Led Learning: A Collaborative Approach to Training and Technical Assistance for Violent Crime Problem Analyses
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov