This Fact Sheet from the U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) reports on the goal, features, and accomplishments of BJA’s DNA capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program.
The overall goal is to increase the capacity of publicly funded forensic DNA and DNA database laboratories to process more DNA samples, thus helping to reduce the number of forensic DNA and DNA database samples awaiting analysis and/or prevent a backlog of forensic and database DNA samples. Funding under this program supports the following: 1) To carry out, for inclusion in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), DNA analyses of database samples collected under applicable legal authority ; 2) To carry out, for inclusion in CODIS, DNA analyses of forensic case (e.g., “crime scene”) samples; and 3) To increase the capacity of publicly funded forensic DNA and DNA database laboratories. Data on program funding and awards are reported for each of the fiscal years 2011-2021. Data on program accomplishments are also reported.