COMBINING EXPERTISE FOR EFFECTIVE JUSTICE

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) provides federal funding through multiple forensic science programs to combat violent crime, resolve cases, lower recidivism, increase public safety, and enhance justice. In collaboration with BJA, the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Program, led by RTI International, offers a team of subject matter experts who provide expertise and assistance to grantees in support of BJA’s overall mission to strengthen America’s criminal justice system.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

PROGRAMS

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DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

The CEBR Program provides federal funding for publicly funded accredited forensic DNA laboratories to process, and increase capacity to process, eligible samples for entry into the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

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Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

The MUHR Program provides federal funding to eligible entities so they can improve reporting, transportation, forensic testing, and identification of missing persons and unidentified human remains in the United States, including migrants.

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Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

The Coverdell Program provides federal funding for states and local government units to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science and medical examiner/coroner (ME/C) services.

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Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

The Postconviction Program provides federal funding for states and local government units to defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing in cases of violent felony offenses (as defined by state law) in which actual innocence might be demonstrated.

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Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

The COLD Program provides federal funding for agencies to resolve violent cold case crimes by providing them with resources to investigate and prosecute cases where a suspect’s DNA profile has been generated.

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Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program

The ME/C Program provides federal funding to help address medicolegal death investigation (MDI) workforce needs to increase the number of practicing board-certified forensic pathologists and to support ME/C offices’ needs to implement and follow quality standards and performance criteria in an effort to provide a consistent and equitable application of MDI services.

HIGHLIGHTS

CEBR Funding Contributes to Approximately Half of All CODIS Hits to Date

Recent performance data from grantees show that CEBR funding is responsible for more than 500 CODIS hits per week. Based on the reported metrics, the CEBR Program has contributed to...

Coverdell funding enables the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to increase annual death investigations

Using Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program funding, the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) contracted with board-certified forensic pathologists which enabled the office to investigate...

Maui man walks free after 30 years behind bars, with help of Hawaiʻi Innocence Project

Gordon Cordeiro had been serving a term of life in prison without parole for charges stemming from an apparent drug deal robbery gone bad. Court records show that on August...

She was left strangled outside. 46 years later, police found a suspect

More than 45 years ago, Kathryn Donohue, a 31-year-old union secretary, went out for dinner in Georgetown with co-workers after work. Early the next morning, on March 3, 1979, a...

Broward County Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services helps address the national shortage of medical examiners through ME/C funding

Since being awarded grant funding through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA’s) Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program, the Broward County Office of Medical Examiner and Trauma Services (BCOMETS)...
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Today is National DNA Day. This day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, and the discovery of DNAs double helix in 1953. From working closely with BJA’s Forensics TTA Program grantees, we know how powerful DNA can be in giving resolutions to violent crime cases, breakthroughs in cold cases, and bringing exonerated individuals back home. Learn more about the six FTTA programs on our website: https://ow.ly/j94t50Vq5j6

Today is National DNA Day. This day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, and the discovery of DNA's double helix in 1953. From working closely with BJA’s Forensics TTA Program grantees, we know how powerful DNA can be in giving resolutions to violent crime cases, breakthroughs in cold cases, and bringing exonerated individuals back home. Learn more about the six FTTA programs on our website: ow.ly/j94t50Vq5j6 ... See MoreSee Less

Another success for the Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program! The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office (LCCO) of Allentown, Pennsylvania, has achieved National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) accreditation. This accreditation signifies that the LCCO is upholding the highest standards for death investigation. The LCCO credits the success and improvement of their services, in part, to the ME/C grant they received. Learn more about what the LCCO has accomplished since receiving their grant and obtaining NAME accreditation: https://ow.ly/htXt50VrtL6

Another success for the Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program! The Lehigh County Coroner’s Office (LCCO) of Allentown, Pennsylvania, has achieved National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) accreditation. This accreditation signifies that the LCCO is upholding the highest standards for death investigation. The LCCO credits the success and improvement of their services, in part, to the ME/C grant they received. Learn more about what the LCCO has accomplished since receiving their grant and obtaining NAME accreditation: ow.ly/htXt50VrtL6 ... See MoreSee Less

Join us as we continue to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Today, we are highlighting the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program. This program provides funding to help defray the costs associated with testing DNA after a conviction has been made for violent felony offenses, in which actual innocence might be demonstrated. Sexual assault is a serious crime and therefore the person responsible, should be precisely, justifiably identified. Learn more about the overall impact of the Postconviction program:  https://ow.ly/Yr2z50Vq1Y1

Join us as we continue to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Today, we are highlighting the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program. This program provides funding to help defray the costs associated with testing DNA after a conviction has been made for violent felony offenses, in which actual innocence might be demonstrated. Sexual assault is a serious crime and therefore the person responsible, should be precisely, justifiably identified. Learn more about the overall impact of the Postconviction program: ow.ly/Yr2z50Vq1Y1 ... See MoreSee Less

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The Forensics TTA Team wants to hear from you!

If BJA Forensics Programs funding has played a role in your organization’s success, no matter how small or how large, we would love to hear about it! Please share your achievements with the Forensics TTA Team by clicking the ‘Submit Highlight’ button.