WHITE PLAINS, NY – Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland), the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today announced a $312,865 Department of Justice (DOJ) grant for Westchester County’s Forensic Science Services. The goal of the grant, provided through the DOJ’s DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program, is to help states and local governments increase the capacity of existing crime laboratories so they can analyze DNA samples more efficiently and cost effectively, as well as reduce backlogs of DNA evidence.

“Surviving a sexual assault can be the most traumatic experience in a person’s life,” said Lowey. “Law enforcement agencies and government at all levels owe it to victims to provide the support they need and to investigate and prosecute these crimes aggressively. This grant will help Westchester’s Forensic Science Services handle, screen, and analyze backlogged forensic DNA casework samples. As Ranking Member on the Appropriations Committee, I fought hard to provide the resources necessary to reduce the national DNA casework backlog, and I’m glad funding was made available for Westchester County.”

Backlogs consist of two kinds of DNA samples: forensic evidence collected from crime scenes, victims, and suspects in criminal cases that often contain DNA, and DNA samples taken from convicted defenders and suspects under arrest in accordance with federal and state laws.

The National Institute of Justice defines a backlogged DNA case as one that goes untested for 30 days or more once it has been submitted to a crime laboratory. 

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