Maryland crime laboratories will receive more than $1.3 million in federal funding to reduce DNA testing backlogs, expand forensic capacity, and speed the processing of evidence that can determine whether violent offenders are identified, charged, or linked to additional crimes.
U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-Md.) joined Democratic Maryland U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski in announcing more than $1.3 million through the Department of Justice’s DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction program.
“I’m proud to announce over $1.3M in funding for Maryland crime labs and police departments to increase their DNA processing capacity,” Hoyer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Team Maryland will keep working to provide federal investments to help tear down roadblocks to solving crime & produce accurate, timely results for our communities.”
Crime laboratories nationwide have struggled to keep pace with growing demands created by advances in DNA technology. While modern forensic tools can extract genetic evidence from increasingly smaller samples, laboratories often lack the personnel, equipment, and resources needed to keep up with rising caseloads. Federal officials have warned that delays in DNA analysis can slow investigations, postpone prosecutions, and leave victims waiting months or years for answers.
“Backlogs in DNA processing can create roadblocks to solving many violent and non-violent crimes,” the lawmakers said.
The Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division in Pikesville will receive $417,514. The funding will allow the agency to outsource approximately 168 CODIS-eligible cases to a private laboratory, replace aging equipment, maintain STRmix probabilistic genotyping software, purchase additional DNA analysis software, and provide continuing education opportunities for forensic scientists.
Prince George’s County Police Department’s Forensic Science Division will receive $94,000 to outsource DNA evidence from backlogged investigations. Montgomery County Police Crime Laboratory will receive $119,000 to outsource between 11 and 17 DNA cases and purchase mobile technology intended to improve case documentation and DNA interpretation.
The Baltimore Police Department Crime Laboratory will receive $394,000 to support four forensic science positions involved in DNA sample screening and processing while expanding training opportunities for laboratory personnel.
Baltimore County Police Department’s Crime Laboratory will receive $298,000 for equipment purchases, software upgrades, and advanced training in DNA mixture interpretation, one of the most technically challenging areas of forensic analysis.
The grants are funded through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction program, known as CEBR. The program was created to help state and local laboratories process forensic evidence more quickly and upload eligible DNA profiles into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, a national database used to connect suspects to crimes across jurisdictions. Federal officials say the program helps law enforcement identify serial offenders, solve cold cases, and reduce violent crime.
In D.C., the District of Columbia’s Department of Forensic Sciences spent years rebuilding after losing accreditation for forensic testing in 2021. During that period, evidence had to be sent elsewhere for analysis, contributing to delays and growing backlogs. The agency regained accreditation for key DNA and chemistry units and has since continued efforts to reduce pending casework and restore confidence in the laboratory’s operations.
Advocates for forensic reform say laboratory capacity is about more than technology. Reliable and timely forensic testing can help identify guilty suspects, clear innocent people, strengthen prosecutions, and improve confidence in the criminal justice system. Problems inside crime laboratories can have the opposite effect, slowing investigations and creating uncertainty for victims, defendants, prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies.
Federal officials have reported that DNA backlogs remain a challenge in many jurisdictions despite hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding over the past decade. A Government Accountability Office review found that requests for crime-scene DNA analysis increased substantially even as laboratories worked to expand capacity, creating ongoing pressure on forensic systems across the country.
“This federal investment will equip local jurisdictions with the tools and resources to process evidence more efficiently and deliver accurate, timely results for the good of Maryland communities,” the lawmakers stated.
