Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program
ABOUT POSTCONVICTION
Under the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) provides funding to help defray the costs (e.g., of additional personnel, overtime, testing supplies and services) associated with postconviction DNA testing for violent felony offenses (as defined by state law) in which actual innocence might be demonstrated. This supports the DOJ mission “to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.” While successful exonerations to correct injustice are notable program outcomes, the careful review, consideration, and closing of cases subjected to postconviction DNA testing that do not ultimately demonstrate innocence also work to advance the public’s interest that justice has been fairly applied.
The program aims to assist in:
- Identifying potential postconviction DNA testing cases.
- Reviewing appropriate postconviction cases to identify those in which DNA testing could prove the actual innocence of a person convicted of a violent felony offense as defined by state law.
- Locating biological evidence associated with such postconviction cases.
- Performing DNA analysis of appropriate biological evidence and reporting and reviewing of the DNA test results.
To learn more about the Postconviction Program and potential funding opportunities, please visit Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program.
Since the advent of forensic DNA analysis, a growing number of Americans convicted of violent crimes have been exonerated through DNA analysis of evidence that was untested at the time of trial. New technologies have increased the likelihood of successful DNA analysis of aged, degraded, limited, or otherwise compromised biological evidence. As a result, crime scene samples once thought unsuitable for testing may now yield viable DNA profiles. Moreover, samples that had previously generated inconclusive DNA results may be amenable to reanalysis using newer methods.
Key Performance Metrics
- More than 55,000 new cases reviewed and more than 125,000 continuing cases reviewed with current and previous grant funding
- More than 740,000 hours of case review performed, representing an estimate of more than 350 work years
- More than 2,200 cases where DNA analysis was performed
- More than 350 profiles uploaded to Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and more than 100 CODIS hits
- 65 exonerations have resulted from this program representing more than 1,200 years served in prison
GRANTEES
This map is representative of all Postconviction Program awards made since 2020.
If you are interested in viewing more award data, please visit the OJP Award Data webpage.
LIST OF GRANTEES
| GRANTEE NAME | STATE | FISCAL YEAR(S) |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | AZ | 2024 |
| CAL STATE LA UNIVERSITY AUXILIARY SERVICES INC. | CA | 2020 & 2022 |
| COUNTY OF ALAMEDA | CA | 2024 |
| COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO | CA | 2021 |
| OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES | CA | 2020, 2021, & 2023 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO | CO | 2021 & 2024 |
| DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PUBLIC PROTECTIONS | CT | 2024 |
| EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF DELAWARE | DE | 2022 |
| COUNTY OF FULTON | GA | 2020 & 2022 |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII | HI | 2021 |
| STATE OF IOWA DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS AND APPEALS | IA | 2023 |
| BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY | ID | 2020 & 2021 |
| COUNTY OF COOK | IL | 2021 |
| STATE OF ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL | IL | 2023 |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | IL | 2021 |
| COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY | KY | 2021 |
| LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY | LA | 2020 & 2022 |
| ORLEANS PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY | LA | 2021 |
| COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC COUNSEL SERVICES | MA | 2020 & 2024 |
| COUNTY OF MACOMB | MI | 2023 |
| COUNTY OF WAYNE | MI | 2020 & 2022 |
| MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL | MI | 2022 |
| THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI | MO | 2020 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM | MO | 2021 |
| JUDICIARY COURTS OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA | NC | 2020 & 2022 |
| NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY | NJ | 2020 |
| DUTCHESS COUNTY | NY | 2024 |
| NEW YORK CITY OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER | NY | 2024 |
| RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | NY | 2020 |
| FRANKLIN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS | OH | 2021 |
| CITY OF PHILADELPHIA | PA | 2021 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO | PR | 2022 |
| COUNTY OF TRAVIS | TX | 2021 |
| DALLAS COUNTY TEXAS | TX | 2020 & 2022 |
| WASHINGTON STATE PATROL | WA | 2020 & 2022 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM | WI | 2024 |
RESOURCES
Publications
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This study examined case factors associated with wrongful convictions classified by the National Registry of Exonerations...
The application of forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) has technological limitations and will not resolve every case. By taking the time to thoroughly evaluate cases and associated evidence with both local crime laboratory representatives and FGG vendor laboratory representatives, law enforcement investigators can greatly increase the chances of attaining successful case...
This report, which was mandated by The Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016, details the results of a national needs assessment of forensic science service providers conducted in 2017 and 2018. The needs assessment focused on services provided by forensic laboratories, medical examiner and coroner offices, and other forensic...
This article presents a review of erroneous convictions that involved forensic science which can help identify critical lessons for forensic scientists as they perform testing, interpret results, render conclusions, and testify in court...
In this report, The National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Science Community fulfills the congressional charge of providing recommendations on policy initiatives that must be adopted in any plan to improve the forensic science disciplines and to allow the forensic science community to serve...
Multi-Media
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The Forensics TTA calendar of events provides a centralized view of national conferences, trainings, and other events of interest to BJA Forensics Program grantees. This calendar is a downloadable resource designed to assist grantees with effective planning of event attendance when supported by BJA Forensics Program funding. Event entries are...
FY2024 Grantee Orientation Webinar – Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program
This webinar features the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) introducing the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program grantees to the overall BJA team that works collectively to administer their award funds including the BJA Policy Office and BJA Programs Office. This webinar provides useful training and information about the...
This webinar was tailored for professionals in wrongful conviction attorney roles and conviction integrity units. It provided a peer-to-peer overview of forensic DNA analysis, encompassing topics such as DNA biology, the forensic DNA process, considerations for case reviews, and the decision on whether to conduct new DNA testing...
This webinar, presented by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), features an overview of the FY2024 Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program solicitation. As part of this presentation, BJA discusses various elements of the solicitation, changes that have been implemented from previous iterations of the program, eligibility requirements, and...
FY2023 Grantee Orientation Webinar – Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program
This webinar features the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) introducing Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program grantees to the overall BJA team that works collectively to administer their award funds including the BJA Policy Office and BJA Programs Office. This webinar provides useful training information on how to accept...
Protocols
The purpose of this interim policy is to promote the reasoned exercise of investigative, scientific, and prosecutorial discretion in cases that involve forensic genetic genealogical DNA analysis and searching (FGGS)...
Research
Research coming soon.
Additional Information
HIGHLIGHTS AND EVENTS
Gordon Cordeiro had been serving a term of life in prison without parole for charges stemming from an apparent drug deal robbery gone bad. Court records show that on August 11, 1994, Timmy Blaisdell, 20, of Kula was shot and killed, and his body was left at the bottom of...
Congratulations and welcome to all BJA Forensics Programs FY24 grantees!...
Congratulations and welcome to all BJA Forensics Programs FY23 grantees!...
The convictions of Louis Wright, 65, have been vacated pursuant to a collaborative review by the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s Conviction Integrity Unit, the Calhoun County Prosecutor’s Office, the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division, and the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Innocence Project. This review concluded that...
In January 1995, a man and woman were robbed at gunpoint by two men who had also sexually assaulted the woman. Days after the crime, Gerardo Cabanillas, who was 18 at the time, was arrested because he generally matched the description of one of the suspects. Mr. Cabanillas was coerced...
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office announces the exoneration of Martin Santillan for his 1998 capital murder conviction after an exhaustive re-investigation initiated by Centurion Ministries, Inc., a Princeton, New Jersey-based innocence organization, and conducted by the Dallas County DA’s Office’s Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), which concluded that Mr. Santillan...
In 1991, Albert “Ian” Schweitzer was convicted for the sexual assault and murder of Dana Ireland. After 25 years of wrongful incarceration, on January 24, 2023, his conviction was dismissed based on new DNA testing that excluded him as a contributor to DNA evidence collected from the crime scene and...
Maurice Hastings served more than 38 years in state prison for the 1983 murder of Roberta Wydermyer in California and two attempted murders, but new DNA evidence instead pointed to another man who died in prison in 2020. At the time of the victim's autopsy, semen was detected in an...
In 2007, Terance Calhoun was convicted of sexual assault of two victims. DNA testing excluded him in 2007. Additional DNA testing was performed in 2019 by Bode confirming the original testing. On January 10, 2022, the Michigan State Police reported that a search of the FBI DNA database linked the...
Ted Louis Bradford spent almost 10 years in prison for a sexual assault he didn’t commit—and another four years awaiting a new trial—before he was retried and acquitted based on DNA evidence of his innocence in 2010...
Upcoming Events
On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Team, led by RTI International, is hosting the 3rd Annual BJA Forensics Programs Grantees Meeting on June 9-10, 2025!
This year’s virtual meeting will offer a series of educational case studies and sessions...
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Past Events
On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Team, led by RTI International, is hosting the 2nd Annual BJA Forensics Programs Grantees Meeting, on June 10-11, 2024!...
On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Team, led by RTI International, is hosting the 1st Annual BJA Forensics Programs Grantees Meeting, scheduled for October 2-3, 2023!...
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FORENSICS TTA PROGRAM updates
The Forensics TTA Team wants to hear from you!
If BJA Forensics Programs funding has played a role in your organization’s success, no matter how small or how large, we would love to hear about it! Please share your achievements with the Forensics TTA Team by clicking the ‘Submit Highlight’ button.