October 23, 2008, 09:21
shollisDPS Labs
Our county sends our suspected CS to the Houston lab, whose turnaround time seems to be around 6 months at this point. That won't cut it, especially when we've got a jail full of defendants who can't make bond.
Anyone use a DPS-accredited private lab that they'd recommend?
October 23, 2008, 09:25
JBDPS labs are certainly running behind. We have found, however, that a phone call alerting them that a case is running up on 90-day deadline can get the case moved to the front of the line. Not a great system, but better than having counties start to pay private labs for testing.
DPS continues to promise that these delays will be reduced, but I don't see any real budget relief unless the Leg gets the message that proper funding of these labs is just as important as the chest-beating that happens upon discovery of a DNA-innocence result.