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Forensic DNA Education for Law Enforcement Decisionmakers

Case Prioritization

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Case Prioritization

Once evidence is submitted, there are a number of competing factors involved in deciding when a case is analyzed.13,14 Prioritization may be given to cases:

  • With impending court dates
  • With exceptional violence
  • With a serial nature
  • When submitted by a target task force
  • With a juvenile victim
  • With submission of all elimination standards
  • With "fragile" evidence or evidence required by another section of the laboratory
  • With suspects who are a flight risk
  • That have been in the laboratory for some time regardless of other factors
  • That have political pressure
  • Specific court orders
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National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (see reuse policy).

 

13 Effectively Utilizing DNA Technology to Solve Crime in Orange County 2009-2010 Annual Report pp9,10 PDF download: 208kB
14 Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Special Report Case Prioritization and Turnaround (April 10, 2009). PDF download: 112kB • Visit the Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit »

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