1999 Annual Report

DIVISION OF FORENSIC SCIENCES

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O R G A N I Z A T I O N A L
S T R U C T U R E

Terry Mills, III, Deputy Director of Crime Lab
Dr. George L. Herrin, Jr., Assistant Deputy Director of Operations & Quality
Karen Scott, Assistant Deputy Director of Operations
Dr. Kris L. Sperry, Chief Medical Examiner
Bill Wall, Assistant Deputy Director

The Division of Forensic Sciences (DOFS) provides scientific support to criminal justice agencies to enable them to detect, apprehend and prosecute criminals by performing accurate, useful, and timely laboratory analysis and testimony. Except for limited services provided by local federal laboratories, the Division of Forensic Sciences is the only forensic services available for the criminal justice community of Georgia.

PERSONNEL GROWTH

In 1999, the Division of Forensic Sciences (DOFS) received much needed support from the governor and the Georgia General Assembly with the allocation of funding to hire additional lab employees. The 83 newly-created positions were shared among the six regional labs and headquarters. The new employees are tasked with aiding the lab in getting current on its casework. The state's explosive growth, coupled with a growing caseload, had left the lab struggling to keep up with demand.

The legislature's decision to fund additional personnel came after findings were released by the Public Commission to Assess State Crime Laboratory Needs into the 21st Century. The 1998 study, disseminated to the governor and members of the General Assembly, outlined in detail the resources and personnel necessary for the crime lab to satisfy both immediate and long-term needs.

Along with increased manpower, the lawmakers also provided the requisite funding for additional workspace, equipment and supplies to support the new positions. Forensic Pathology, Toxicology and Drug Chemistry are among the sections to benefit from the increased staffing. The sections, struggling under the weight for years of growing caseloads, had been outstripped of their resources.

The allocation of the new employees increased the lab's work force by 50 percent, and the hiring process required major planning. Workspace had to be renovated and the necessary equipment and supplies purchased. The employees also had to be trained before they could report to their respective assignments.

In all, 1,500 applicants were interviewed and screened for the openings. DOFS was aided in its search for qualified applicants by the GBI's Office of Personnel and the Investigative Division. The Internet also played a major role in the recruitment process. The lab posted the jobs on numerous university and professional association Web sites.

The candidates who made the final cut were subjects of full background investigations and polygraphed before employment.

With the hiring process behind them, lab officials embarked on a new challenge: Expediting training without sacrificing quality and standards. A training plan was developed that allowed support staff, such as laboratory assistants, evidence receiving technicians and forensic pathologists, to come on board and begin working within 30 days of hire.

The training programs for scientists were lengthier-four months for toxicologists and three months for chemists. The regional lab in Summerville was designated as a training center. The chemists will graduate on September 30, 1999, with the toxicologists doing the same October 29.

The expansion of the lab's staff has provided the agency with invaluable resources in achieving its immediate and long-term goals. However, it is the state's criminal justice community that is the true benefactor of the lab's enhanced work force. Officials are optimistic that toxicology and drug identification results will be up-to-date by September 2000.

There is still much work to be done, and DOFS looks forward to adding more resources and capabilities over the next two years. There are other critical needs outlined by the Commission to Assess State Crime Laboratory Needs into the 21st Century that need to be addressed.

LIMS SYSTEM

During FY 99, DOFS began installing a new computer system that improves the level of service provided to the entire criminal justice community.

The system, known as the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), greatly reduces the time needed to process and deliver lab test results, case searches and other information requests. LIMS, which made the lab's computer operations Year 2000 (Y2K) compliant, also has the capability of providing local agencies with on-line access to case status and final reports.

LIMS is being installed in two phases, with the first phase to be completed by September 1999.

Major features in Phase I include:

n  The installation of a state network for lab-to-lab connectivity.

n Enhanced lab management functions.

n New reporting formats.

n Restructuring and improvements to database access.

n The addition of much faster search and retrieval capabilities.

Phase II is expected to be complete in 2000 and includes:

n The installation of an imaging component so that documents and photographs can be electronically incorporated into case files.

n Laboratory equipment will be integrated into the system to automatically feed test data into the case files, which allows scientists to process, review and verify test results in a fraction of the time that it currently takes.

n All certified criminal justice agencies will be able to access the system to check the status of case files, retrieve case reports, enter data and search LIMS for case information. This aspect of the new system will greatly enhance the efficiency of all agencies and will streamline the work of the criminal justice system.

QUALITY SYSTEMS

After two years of concerted effort by the staff, the GBI Crime Laboratory became the first lab of its kind in the world to receive both prestigious registration with the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) to the ISO 9002:1994 Standard and obtain national accreditation by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors-Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB).

The ISO 9002 represents a commitment to providing a quality system based on customer needs. The lab passed the final audit in October 1998, following a year of preparing documents and a series of audits. The ISO consists of 20 different standards that measure an organization's ability to provide a service to its customers.

In May of 1999, registration was official when Underwriter's Laboratory presented Governor Roy Barnes and GBI Director Milton E. Nix with an official plaque acknowledging the lab's accomplishment. To maintain registration, the lab will have to undergo an audit every six months.

Like the ISO, accreditation with ASCLD-LAB required audits and inspections. The lab's first audit by the accreditation board in January 1999, while successful, revealed that there were two areas that needed improvements. Lab officials took corrective actions immediately and a second visit from inspectors in August 1999, found the lab in compliance with all standards. On September 10, the ASCLD-LAB board voted to grant accreditation status to the GBI's Crime Laboratory, including headquarters and the six regional labs across the state.

FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS

With the workloads growing at GBI regional crime labs, renovations and upgrades to the facilities are needed to keep up with demand.

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E A S T E R N  R E G I O N A L
L A B O R A T O R Y

During the 1999 Legislative Session, $4 million was allocated in the Supplemental Budget to fund the construction of a new building for the Eastern Regional Laboratory in Augusta. Not only is the present facility lacking sufficient space to house the growing number of employees, but it also is located close to a site known for industrial toxic spills.

Like the old facility, the new one will remain in the growing and vibrant community of Richmond County. A possible site for the new building has been identified, and processes are in place to have the land deeded to the state. Bids are being taken from architectural firms for the design and construction of the project.

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W E S T E R N  R E G I O N A L
L A B O R A T O R Y

The western region of the state will also be getting a new crime lab. Located in Columbus, the current lab is the oldest facility among the state crime labs and has outgrown its usefulness. Built in 1974, the lab has six employees, but an additional eight employees are expected to be added to the staff, including six scientists and two laboratory assistants. The funding for the new positions was allocated by the Georgia General Assembly in March 1999.

With a larger staff and the age of the facility, lab officials felt it was time to retire the old building and replace it with a more functional, updated model. The new lab will be adjacent to the old one and will have almost double the size of the workspace as the existing facility. The new building will house Drug Identification, Toxicology, Trace Evidence, Fire Debris Analysis and a fully-equipped morgue.

The contemporary lab is expected to be complete by August 2000 and will support the needs of the criminal justice system in 19 counties.

CRIME LAB SERVICE

Established in 1952 as the second statewide crime laboratory in the United States, the Division of Forensic Sciences provides scientific support to the Criminal Justice System of Georgia. Using the most recent technologies and highly sophisticated equipment, lab scientists and technicians in specialized disciplines collect, analyze and interpret all aspects of physical evidence for law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the state. They also offer expert testimony on their findings. (See graphics on next two pages for brief descriptions of services offered.)

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I M P L I E D  C O N S E N T

Charged with overseeing the state's breath-alcohol testing program, the Implied Consent Section of the crime lab offers training to law enforcement statewide on the use of the Intoxilyzer 5000, the instrument of choice for performing breath-alcohol tests. On average, law enforcement across the state administers 80,000 breath-alcohol tests annually.

During FY 99, the section:

n Trained 1,132 operators on the Intoxilyzer 5000 System at basic certification classes at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.

n Taught 44 re-certification classes.

n Maintained records on the certification of 7,424 operators, who represent 613 Georgia law enforcement agencies.

n Maintained 413 instruments.

The continuing use of breath- alcohol testing by local agencies is essential to the identification and prompt prosecution of alcohol impaired drivers.

Beginning in the summer of 1998, the Implied Consent Section began assisting the state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in increasing the availability of breath-alcohol testing at waterways throughout the state. The initiative, targeting boaters under the influence of alcohol (BUI), was passed down from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

As part of the initiative, 42 DNR officers attended the basic Intoxilyzer 5000 classes, and 15 new instruments were installed at DNR locations. The aggressive stance against BUI, is one of many efforts the state is taking to deter motorists and boaters from driving drunk. The Implied Consent Section will continue to do its part to support law enforcement in prosecuting cases where drivers are impaired by alcohol.

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F I R E A R M S  S E C T I O N

The GBI, through its DOFS Firearms Section, is an integral part of Operation Ceasefire-a cooperative effort between the GBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and local law enforcement. At the heart of the partnership is the Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS), which is used to identify suspects in previously unsolved crimes. IBIS is a highly-technical, computerized imaging analysis system that records striated images from bullets and cartridge cases and then compares them to a national and growing international database.

Bullets and cartridge cases recovered from victims and crime scenes are placed onto the system, and comparisons are made when agencies submit confiscated suspect weapons to the laboratory for test firing. The images from the test fires are compared against the entire database within a few seconds, an impossible task for a firearms examiner using conventional procedures.

The system correlates the images and gives them scores as to possible matches. The correlations are called High Confidence Candidates (HCC). While IBIS makes the matches, it is the firearms examiner that is tasked with making the final determination of whether the correlation is a positive match or "hit."

When a hit has occurred, the involved law enforcement agencies are notified and can take the appropriate investigative and legal actions with the utmost confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the system.

Since its introduction to Georgia in 1995, 82 hits have been made by IBIS - 12 of those were made during FY 99.

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F O R E N S I C  B I O L O G Y

The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is a database of DNA profiles maintained by the Forensic Biology Section. The profiles include those belonging to convicted sex offenders and to unknown suspects involved in unsolved sexual assault cases.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) coordinates and supports the CODIS system and its software, with 42 states accessing the network's information through the federal agency.

Currently, 16 states have received approval to actually enter information into the system. In 1998, Georgia was the first to be given access to the national database to upload profiles and search the system on its own.

n As of July 1999, The GBI had 4,511 profiles in CODIS. Of those, 1,610 were from unknown suspects and 2,901 were from convicted sexual offenders.

n A match of DNA from one case to another is referred to as a "Forensic Hit." During FY 99, the GBI had 48 Forensic Hits. Two of those involved homicides and seven others involved unsolved rapes that occurred between 1993 and 1995. All the attacks were linked to the same individual. A hit in middle Georgia linked an unsolved 1994 rape case to a solved 1999 burglary, thus identifying the rapist.

n A match of DNA from a case to a convicted sex offender is an "Offender Hit." During FY 99, there were nine Offender Hits. One of the hits involved the identification of a serial rapist wanted in an unsolved 1993 rape case. The suspect, already in prison at the time of the hit, is currently serving several life sentences.

n The national database, which contains approximately 186,000 profiles, has contributed to three hits for GBI. One of those hits linked a 1992 rape case from Tattnall County to a burglary DNA profile submitted by Broward County, Fla.

In a recent visit by members of the FBI's CODIS network, the GBI was recognized for its outstanding contributions to the system. The agency also was identified as one of the top three states in the nation with regard to profile submissions. In fact, the GBI profiles of unknown suspects make up 17 percent of the entire national database.

On the forefront of DNA technology, the crime lab's Forensic Biology Section is often called upon by other states to lend expert advice and assistance in the area of forensic investigation.

	Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt: A scientist with the Forensic Biology/DNA Section looks for blood on a swath of material cut from a hat found at a crime scene. The blood will be tested for a DNA profile.

FY 94 - FY 99: Crime Lab Completed Services

FY 94 - FY 99: Percentage of Services Completed in 30 Day

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P A T H O L O G Y  S E C T I O N

The State Medical Examiner's (ME) Office has experienced a year of significant growth and expansion. Between July 1998 and June 1999, the Headquarters facility handled 1,628 cases, with the Moultrie facility handling more than 200.

Additionally, the Medical Examiner's statewide operation was expanded in March, when the Summerville facility began operation. The office was opened with one pathologist and three staff.

On July 1, 1999, the Medical Examiner's Office underwent a significant personnel expansion.

The new positions, included:

n Two pathologists

n Four investigators

n Two transcriptionists

n Five pathology assistants

The increased staffing allows cases to be handled quicker, and information to be disseminated to coroners and law enforcement agencies more efficiently.

Also on July 1, the ME Office assumed responsibility for the performance of autopsies from Bibb County. The facility there is currently undergoing major renovations to update and modernize the morgue. Staff is being hired for the Bibb County office, and it is anticipated that the facility will be fully operational by July 1, 2000.

FY 85 - FY 99: Number of Medical Examiner Services Completed