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Ohio Attorney General Highlight Crime Lab Improvements
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
UPDATE: 1/4/13 @ 3:28 p.m.
Ohio's attorney general is highlighting a drop in the time it takes the state's crime lab to process evidence.
Improving the crime lab was a campaign priority for Attorney General Mike DeWine, who took office in 2011.
DeWine says that in December 2010 state investigators took roughly 125 days to process biological evidence, typically blood or other body fluids that could link a suspect to a crime.
The average turnaround time last year was about half that. And in December, the lab took a record low of 20 days for results.
DeWine on Friday attributed the faster processing to hiring more forensic scientists, adding equipment and doing a top-to-bottom analysis of how the lab handles evidence. The lab's staff size increased from 110 in January 2011 to its current 136.
Ohio's attorney general is announcing efforts by the state crime lab to cut the time it takes to process evidence.
When Mike DeWine took office in 2011, state investigators needed more than four months to process biological evidence, typically blood or other body fluids that could link a suspect to a crime.
The lab also needed 43 days for fingerprints.
DeWine's office says he will provide details Friday on how Ohio is reducing turnaround time for evidence and how these efforts are helping law enforcement.
Improving the crime lab was a campaign priority for DeWine, whose office has sought to speed processing by hiring more forensic scientists, adding equipment and doing a top-to-bottom analysis of how the lab handles evidence.