Maryland Receives $1.3 Million to Speed DNA Testing as Crime Labs Face Growing Demands

June 2, 2026

Maryland's crime laboratories will receive over $1. 3 million in federal grants to address significant DNA testing backlogs and enhance their forensic capabilities. The funding, announced by Maryland's congressional delegation, comes from the Department of Justice's DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction program and will be distributed among five law enforcement agencies across the state.

Who is affected

Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division in Pikesville
Prince George's County Police Department's Forensic Science Division
Montgomery County Police Crime Laboratory
Baltimore Police Department Crime Laboratory
Baltimore County Police Department's Crime Laboratory
Violent crime victims awaiting case resolution
Criminal defendants in pending cases
Law enforcement investigators
Prosecutors handling cases requiring DNA evidence

What action is being taken

The Department of Justice is providing $1.3 million in funding through the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction program
Maryland crime laboratories will outsource DNA cases to private laboratories
Laboratories are purchasing equipment, software, and mobile technology
Agencies are supporting forensic science positions for DNA sample screening and processing
Training and continuing education opportunities are being provided for forensic scientists and laboratory personnel

Why it matters

DNA testing backlogs create significant obstacles to solving both violent and non-violent crimes by delaying investigations, postponing prosecutions, and leaving victims waiting months or years for answers. Reliable and timely forensic testing can identify guilty suspects, exonerate innocent people, strengthen prosecutions, and improve public confidence in the criminal justice system. The grants address a nationwide challenge where crime laboratories have struggled to keep pace with growing demands from advances in DNA technology, and the funding helps upload eligible DNA profiles into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which connects suspects to crimes across jurisdictions and helps identify serial offenders and solve cold cases.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer