DNA Backlog Slows Unsolved Crimes

The huge FBI database of CODIS or Combined DNA Index System can be a valuable tool in finding a conclusion to unsolved crimes. However, the system is not living up to its potential and it does not prove as effective as it could be because of a severe backlogging in processing DNA samples.

Figures submitted to the U.S. Senate by the Justice Department have stated that almost 85% of all samples gathered up by the FBI since the year 2001 have remained unprocessed and have yet to be entered into the database. This could be disastrous for unsolved crimes cases.

A spokesman for the FBI said they receive 8,000 samples a month but only process 5,500. The backlog for unsolved crimes and criminals now totals around 200,000.

What should be done? Congress needs to check into the backlog problems more deeply and find solutions. Possibly finding the need to hire additional lab workers and technical resources to help bring CODIS back to its full running potential to solve unsolved crimes could be the answer.