U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

National Institute of Justice 

Data from the DNA CEBR Grant Program: 

Metrics Definitions

December 2019

NCJ 254452
U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

810 Seventh St. N.W. 

Washington, DC 20531 

David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D. 

Director, National Institute of Justice 

This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found at: 

National Institute of Justice 

Strengthen Science • Advance Justice 

nij.ojp.gov 

Office of Justice Programs 

Building Solutions • Supporting Communities • Advancing Justice 

OJP.gov 

The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ’s 

mission is to advance scientific research, development, and evaluation to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. 

The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice 

Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. 

Opinions or conclusions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or 

policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. 
 

 

Data from the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction (CEBR) 

Grant Program 

Metrics Definitions: Database Laboratory Data 

Semi-Annual Metric Question for Database Laboratories Clarifying Information 

G. The average number of DNA database samples analyzed 

per analyst per month at the end of the reporting period. 

*A database sample is a biological sample collected from a 

person convicted of one or more qualifying offenses, and/or 

arrested for one or more qualifying offenses as mandated in 

Federal or State legislation. 

H. The average number of days between the submission of a 

DNA database sample to the laboratory and the upload of 

the profile to CODIS at the end of the reporting period. 

*The average number of days between the submission of a 

DNA database sample to the laboratory and the upload of the 

profile to CODIS at the end of the reporting period should be 

calculated based on the 6 months of data from the reporting 

period. 

I. The number of backlogged DNA database samples at the 

end of the reporting period. 

*NIJ defines a backlogged DNA database sample as a DNA 

database sample that has not been uploaded to CODIS within 

30 days of receipt in the laboratory. 

J. The number of DNA database samples analyzed as a result 

of overtime, analysis supplies, grant-funded personnel, or 

outsourcing funds from this DNA CEBR grant. 

*The number of DNA database samples analyzed during the 

reporting period as a result of overtime, analysis supplies, 

grant-funded personnel, or outsourcing funds from this DNA 

CEBR grant. Additionally, a combination of the aforementioned 

funding types should only be counted as one sample. 

K. Number of DNA profiles from DNA database samples 

entered into CODIS. 

*The number of DNA profiles from DNA database samples that 

resulted from this DN CEBR grant and entered into CODIS 

should be reported during the reporting period. Profiles that 

resulted in a combination of allowable funding types only 

counts as one profile. 

L. Number of CODIS hits. 

*The number of CODIS hits that resulted from the DNA 

database profiles uploaded under this DNA CEBR Grant during 

the reporting period.CODIS hits that resulted in a combination 

of allowable funding types only counts as one hit. 

*CODIS is the acronym for the Combined DNA Index System, and is the generic term used to describe the FBI’s program of 

support for criminal justice DNA databases as well as the software used to run these databases. The National DNA Index 

System or NDIS is considered one-part of CODIS, the national level, containing the DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, 

and local participating forensic laboratories. 

*A DNA profile is a genetic sequence related to an individual. A full or partial DNA profile can either be uploaded to CODIS or 

used to compare against other DNA profiles. 

*Database CODIS Entry is a DNA profile that has been uploaded to CODIS and was obtained from a biological sample collected 

from a person in accordance with state and/or federal law. 

*A CODIS Hit is reported as an investigation aided and is when a candidate match is identified and confirmed by the 

laboratory. A match can be between cases or link cases to individuals. 
Data from the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Grant 

Program 

Metrics Definitions: Casework Laboratory Data 

Semi-Annual Metric Question for Casework Laboratories Clarifying Information 

A. The average number of forensic biology/DNA samples 

analyzed per analyst per month at the end of the reporting 

period 

*A sample is an evidence item or portion of an item that is submitted for 

analysis (this does not include quality control samples). 

B. The average number of days between the submission of a 

request for forensic biology/DNA analysis to the laboratory 

and the delivery of the test results at the end of the 

reporting period. 

*The average number of days between the submission of a forensic 

biology/DNA case for analysis to the laboratory and the delivery of the 

test results at the end of the reporting period should be calculated based 

on the 6 months of data from the reporting period. 

C. Number of backlogged forensic biology/DNA cases at the 

end of the reporting period. 

*NIJ defines a backlogged forensic biology/DNA case as a forensic 

biology/DNA case that has not been completed within 30 days of receipt 

in the laboratory. 

D. The number of cases analyzed as a result of overtime, 

analysis supplies, grant-funded personnel, or outsourcing 

funds from this DNA CEBR grant. 

*A case is a request for examination in one forensic investigation area. 

For purposes of this program, the investigation areas reported will be 

forensic biology and DNA investigation. 

*The number of cases analyzed during the reporting period as a result of 

overtime, analysis supplies, grant-funded personnel, or outsourcing funds 

from this DNA CEBR grant. Additionally, a combination of the 

aforementioned funding types should only be counted as one case. 

E. Number of DNA profiles from forensic analyses entered 

into CODIS. 

*The number of DNA profiles from forensic analyses entered into CODIS 

under this DNA CEBR grant during the reporting period.This is the number 

of profiles, not the number of cases, and only the number of profiles that 

resulted from this DNA CEBR grant. Profiles that resulted in a 

combination of allowable funding types only counts as one profile. One 

case may generate more than one DNA profile. 

F. Number of CODIS hits. 

*The number of CODIS hits that resulted from the forensic profiles 

uploaded under this DNA CEBR Grant during the reporting period. CODIS 

hits that resulted in a combination of allowable funding types only counts 

as one hit. 

*CODIS is the acronym for the Combined DNA Index System, and is the generic term used to describe the FBI’s program of support for 

criminal justice DNA databases as well as the software used to run these databases. The National DNA Index System or NDIS is 

considered one-part of CODIS, the national level, containing the DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, and local participating 

forensic laboratories. 

*A DNA profile is a genetic sequence related to an individual. A full or partial DNA profile can either be uploaded to CODIS or used to 

compare against other DNA profiles. 

*A Casework CODIS Entry is a DNA profile attributed directly to the crime scene and putative perpertrator. 

*A CODIS Hit is reported as an investigation aided and is when a candidate match is identified and confirmed by the laboratory. A match 

can be between cases or link cases to individuals.