To increase the use of DNA technology in the criminal justice system, a five year program with more than $1 billion dollars in funding was launched in 2003. The Initiative calls for increased funding, training, and assistance to Federal, State, and local forensic labs; to police; to medical professionals; to victim service providers; and to prosecutors, defense lawyers, and judges. Part of the funding has resulted in a number of high-quality, online training courses for first responders.
What every law enforcement officer should know about DNA evidence focuses on issues that arise for the first-responding law enforcement officer during the identification, preservation, and collection of DNA evidence at a crime scene. Other courses, such as the one for investigators, provides in-depth information for the investigating officer or evidence technician on the identification, preservation, and collection of DNA evidence at a crime scene.
