Fiscal Year 2003 Report on the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants Program

In general, the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Act (NFSIA) program provides funding to crime laboratories and medical examiner offices through State Administering Agencies (SAA), based on population and crime statistics. The program provides funding for expenses related to facilities, personnel, equipment, computerization, supplies, accreditation, certification, and education and training. The Act became Public Law 106-561 on December 21, 2000 and authorized grants to states and units of local government to improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal justice purposes. The Act authorized the following amounts: $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; $85,400,000 for fiscal year 2002; $134,733,000 for fiscal year 2003; $128,067,000 for fiscal year 2004; $56,733,000 for fiscal year 2005; and $42,067,000 for fiscal year 2006. There were no funds appropriated for this program in Fiscal Year 2001. In Fiscal Year 2002, $5,000,000 from funding appropriated for DNA Backlog Elimination programs was directed to the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act grant program.