Update to the Staffing and
Infrastructure Model:
A Model for Adequate Forensic
Scientist Staffing and Funding of the
Nation’s Forensic Science Crime
Laboratories
Garry J. Bombard, Ph. D.
Loyola University Chicago
Why the Model?
►
Public Policy Analyses Viewpoint
 Lack of Data
►
Forensic Laboratory Viewpoint




Lack of Data
Understaffed, Under Budgeted, More with Less
“Field of Dreams” Syndrome
Current National Trends
Why the Model?
► Window
of Opportunity is Starting to Open
 S.2177: Needs Analysis
► We
Need to Frame and Justify Our Needs
 Previous Demonstration Projects
 Current Research/Demonstration Projects
 Future Research/Demonstration Projects
Goal and Objectives of Model
► Create
foundational data for determining
the needs and costs for the forensic science
community.
 Model should be dynamic and robust, yet
versatile and flexible.
 The model should incorporate the realistic
needs of the forensic science community.
 The model should provide the quantitative data
for various policy analyses.
History of Model
►
►
►
►
►
►
Created in 2004
ASCLD Poster for Refinement (2005)
ASCLD Poster Utilizing Model in DNA
Burglary Demonstration Project (2007)
AAFS Annual Meeting (2008)
Midwest Laboratory Director’s Meeting
(2008)
Updated Model (2012-2015)
Overview of Model
►
Provides Two Staffing Levels
 Minimal
 Ideal
►
Provides Two Sets of Data
 Infrastructure and New Headcount (Needs and
Costs)
 Annual Costs
Model Improvements
►
Expands Number of Sections: Four (4)
Biggest to Ten (10) including DNA
Database
►
Sophisticated Modeling Program vs Manual
Evaluations
►
Better Data Available
Main Data Sources
►
FBI Uniform Crime Reports (1993 – 2013)
►
Survey of Publicly Funded Crime Labs
(2009): Published and Raw Data Analyses
►
Foresight (2013)
►
Crime Lab Design (Ken Mohr)
Model Examples: Crimes
Reported Crimes: 1993-2013
Crimes
Calculated to 2017
Cleared
2017
Total Homicides
Cleared Rate
Biology/DNA
%
Cases
2017
11,556
Homicides: Firearms
7,921
100.0%
7,921
100.00
7,921
Homicides: Knives/Cutting
1,160
100.0%
1,160
100.00
1,160
345
100.0%
345
100.00
345
1,539
100.0%
1,539
75.00
1,154
74,521
100.0%
74,521
100.00
74,521
Homicides: Blunt Objects
Homicides: Unidentified weapons and personal
Forcible Rape
Model Examples: Crimes
Reported Crimes: 1993-2013
Crimes
Calculated to 2017
Cleared
2017
Total Homicides
Cleared Rate
Biology/DNA
%
Cases
2017
11,556
Homicides: Firearms
7,921
63.8%
5,054
100.00
5,054
Homicides: Knives/Cutting
1,160
63.8%
740
100.00
740
345
63.8%
220
100.00
220
1,539
63.8%
982
75.00
736
74,521
38.3%
28,542
100.00
28,542
Homicides: Blunt Objects
Homicides: Unidentified weapons and personal
Forcible Rape
Model Examples: Cases,
Headcount, and Costs
DNA Database: Cases and Headcount Projections
Arrests to Cases
Total Database Cases
DNA Database Costs
10,453,725
Infrastructure
Total New Database
Cases
5,226,863
Headcount Projections
Cases Worked per FS (2009)
Forensic Scientists Required
Less Current FSs (2009)
New FS Headcount
New Technical Support Headcount (9% [1])
Buildings
Equipment
Training (Personnel and Commodities)
$
$
22,886,370.68
307,364,288.48
% Capital Expense as a proportion of
Total Expense (Mean: Foresight)
Total Capital Expenses
2,072
$
6.93%
22,886,370.68
233
$
1,839
4,639,003.50
330,250,659.17
1,839
$
744,200,682.75
New Headcount
New Headcount cases worked
Total Headcount costs
165
Annual Costs
New Managerial Headcount (14% [1])
Upper Management (4:1 ratio of Middle Mgt)
New Clerical Headcount (9% [1])
Additional Headcount Requirements
2523
Median Foresight:
2523
[1]: CLS 2009; pg 9
$
71.19
Cost per Case (Mean from Foresight)
257
64
165
Total Cases
x cost/ case
Model Examples: One Time Costs
New Headcount
Forensic Scientists
Technical Support
Middle Managers
Upper Managers
Clerical Support
Forensic Biology
#'s
Salaries
11,033
993
$47,754,809
1,545
$144,013,906
386
$40,398,960
993
$47,754,809
14,950
#'s
17,192
1,547
2,407
602
1,152
22,900
DNA
Salaries
$74,414,137
$224,410,289
$62,951,854
$55,397,191
DNA Database
#'s
Salaries
1,839
165
$7,958,369
257
$24,000,007
64
$6,732,512
165
$7,958,369
2,491
Infrastructure (One Time Cost)
Building
Forensic Scientists
Managerial
$10,192,025,501
$895,615,117
$15,881,767,605
$1,395,596,112
$1,698,507,419
$149,254,819
Techincal/Clerical Support
$555,859,933
$755,493,711
$92,634,405
$71,459,939
$297,666,563
$22,886,371
$1,197,810,735
$2,381,600,432
$307,364,288
$13,192,693,710
$21,129,297,893
$2,317,296,559
Equipment
Training (Personnel and
Commodities)
Totals
Model Examples: Annual Costs
Biology Screening
Headcount
#'s
Salaries
DNA
#'s
Salaries
#'s
Salaries
Forensic Scientists
11,472
Technical Support
1,032
$49,654,930
1,666
$80,114,498
186
$8,966,861
Managerial
1,606
$149,744,088
2,591
$241,600,836
290
$27,041,311
402
$42,006,398
648
$67,774,167
73
$7,585,662
1,032
$49,654,930
1,666
$80,114,498
186
$8,966,861
Upper Management
Clerical Support
Total Staff
Annual Expenses
Totals
18,509
DNA Database
15,545
2,072
25,080
$1,319,773,801
$1,610,834,146
2,807
$ 2,884,507,433
$3,354,111,432
$ 744,200,683
$796,761,379
Model Calculations
Minimal Staffing (Clearance
Minimal
or Arrest
Staffing
Rate):
(Clearance
All
or Arrest Rate): All
Crimes
Crimes
New
Headcount
New
CostsHeadcount
Ideal Staffing: All Crimes
New
Headcount
Costs
For Bio
3,723
For $Bio 3,285,119,2423,723 $
DNA
5,068
DNA$
DNA DB
2,491
DNA$ DB2,317,296,5592,491 $
LFP
1,833
LFP $
FA TM
1,175
FA TM
$ 1,120,790,6671,175 $
Costs
For Bio
3,285,119,242
DNA
4,676,097,915
DNA DB
2,317,296,559
LFP
1,602,890,969
FA TM
1,120,790,667
Drug
1,605
Drug
$
1,428,639,7381,605 $
Drug
1,428,639,738
Trace
3,345
Trace
$ 3,468,048,7453,345 $
Trace
3,468,048,745
24,394 $ 25,719,907,297
Impression
4,476
Impression
$ 4,245,160,7544,476 $
Impression
4,245,160,754
32,661 $ 30,976,238,671
Tox
Tox
13 $
QD
3,249
QD $
Total
26,978
4,676,097,9155,068 $
1,602,890,9691,833 $
14,950 $ 13,192,693,710
22,900 $ 21,129,297,893
2,491 $
2,317,296,559
9,592 $
8,388,040,398
8,355 $
7,968,621,227
1,822 $
1,622,589,040
13 $
Tox
142,856,875
1,132 $
1,186,837,729
3,066,633,3683,249 $
QD
3,066,633,368
8,019 $
7,568,856,564
25,353,534,832
Total
26,978
25,353,534,832
Total
142,856,875
126,317
120,070,379,088
2013 UCR: 13,051 Police Agencies with 902,410 FTEs in LE: 626,942 Sworn; 275,468 Civilian
Further Improvements
►
Current Case Distribution to Sections and
within Sections
►
Better Foresight Data (Increase the 83
Current Contributors)
►
Better Building Projections (space and cost)
through Crime Lab Design’s SABER
Program
Acknowledgements
►
Paul Speaker, Foresight Project at WVU
►
Matt Durose, BJS
►
Ken Mohr, Crime Lab Design