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Author: Sydney Franklin
Forensics TTA

FY2024 Grantee Orientation Webinar – Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

This webinar features the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) introducing the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program grantees to the overall BJA team that works collectively to administer their award funds including the BJA Policy Office and BJA Programs Office. This webinar provides useful training and information about the Postconviction Program; highlights specific award conditions such as performance management and measures; shares how to submit progress reports and Grant Award Modifications; and provides other information/best practices to support the award management and grant monitoring activities of this project. This webinar also introduces the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program and Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice and highlights how these two TTA providers work to support Postconviction Program grantees.
December 2024
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Central Ohio Regional Crime Laboratory, OH 

Ohio Regional Crime Laboratory utilizes Coverdell funding to support annual analyst training and defray the costs of consumables, standards, and instrument maintenance

The Central Ohio Regional Crime Laboratory (CORCL) operates in conjunction with the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force under the Licking County Sheriff’s Office. CORCL currently provides controlled substance and forensic analysis casework for seven counties and thirty-four law enforcement agencies located predominantly in southwest Ohio. CORCL currently operates on grant and fee-for-service funding except for personnel salary and benefits, which are covered by the Licking County Sheriff’s Office. CORCL’s Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program is used to support analysts to attend annual trainings that focus on challenges in seized drug analysis and the constantly evolving testing methods and classifications of opioids. Additionally, a portion of CORCL’s Coverdell funding is set aside to defray the costs of consumables, controlled substance standards, and maintain CORCL’s two gas chromatography-mass spectrometry instruments that are used to test opioids and other controlled substances.
November 2024
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Highlights

Marion County Coroner’s Office uses BJA fellowship funding to support the training of a Forensic Pathology Fellow to increase operational capacity

The Marion County Coroner’s Office has a unique fellowship program through their partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine which significantly enhances the education, training, and experience of forensic pathologists. This partnership is being utilized to develop a pipeline of future forensic pathologists by encouraging undergraduate and medical students to consider the area of forensic pathology as they make career decisions. Marion County’s efforts are critical to addressing the national shortage of forensic pathologists by not only focusing on training fellows, but also recruiting students into the field. Furthermore, Marion County Coroner’s Office is the only county in Indiana that has an accredited forensic fellowship program. The Marion County Coroner’s Office was awarded funds through the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System (ME/C) Program to support the training of a forensic pathology fellow in their office. The office was awarded BJA fellowship funding at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. COVID significantly impacted the case load and the office’s ability to conduct investigations, creating a challenge for the office’s operation. During that time county death investigations increased, and the office lost several critical staff including pathologists and investigators. Internally, the office also faced a lack of funding from the county to keep up with staffing needed to adequately conduct death investigations. The BJA funded fellow performed 250 autopsies, which greatly assisted the staff forensic pathologists with the increased autopsy case load. The fellow graduated the program, became board certified, and now works in a Coroner’s Office in Ohio.
October 2024
Forensics TTA

Texas State University’s Operation Identification: Numbers to Names

This webinar offers an in-depth look at Texas State University’s (TSU’s) Operation Identification (OpID) project and its mission to investigate, identify, and repatriate unidentified human remains (UHRs) discovered near the South Texas border. During this webinar, the presenter explores how OpID addresses gaps in medicolegal death investigations, manages UHRs, and fosters collaboration across jurisdictions and internationally. This session also highlights OpID’s ongoing efforts to connect families with their missing loved ones, shedding light on the critical work being done to support these investigations.

Dr. Kate Spradley is the Director of OpID and a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at TSU. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Arkansas in 2000 and completed her PhD at the University of Tennessee in 2006. As a biological anthropologist, Dr. Spradley’s research focuses on human biological variation, forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and quantitative methods.

September 2024
FTCOE

2024 MDI MythBusters Webinar Series

This five-part webinar series provides information on various emerging topics in medicolegal death investigation (MDI) and related forensic disciplines. Various professionals from around the county will present and discuss topics of interest where a lack of consensus exists among the medical examiner/coroner community. These topics include communicating with families, diversity in MDI, rapid toxicology testing, locating next-of-kin, and the utility of MDI data.
September 2024
Forensics TTA

A Guide to Resources for Unidentified Human Remains Investigations

Every year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHRs) are found across the United States, which poses a challenge for the law enforcement and medical examiners/coroners tasked with identifying these individuals and resolving the cases. UHR investigations are complex and require specialized skills and resources, such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, fingerprint record searches, dental coding and comparisons, facial reconstruction, and the use of missing persons databases and investigative resources. However, many agencies lack the necessary training, equipment, funding, or personnel to conduct these investigations effectively and efficiently. As a result, many UHR cases remain unresolved for years or decades, leaving families and communities without resolution and justice. This guide aims to provide agencies with information on federal programs and other organizational resources that offer support to these types of investigations.
September 2024

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