Houston Dna Crime Lab Closed

Houston DNA Lab Closed in 2002

Micha Leshay

Jan 18, 2012

Houston DNA Lab Closed in 2002

The Houston DNA Lab was closed in 2002 due to inaccurate practices and results. This specific paper centers on the various aspects of the case. Houston Police Department's DNA Lab was initiated in the year 1991 and an audit of the laboratory in the route of the year 2002 discovered that there were several problems and issues with the laboratory. Lack of training in association with laboratory personnel and ineffective handling of evidence caused questions surrounding several cases based on DNA testing. The laboratory was closed and the cases were sent for the objective of reviewing to private labs. It was revealed that the lab's results related to DNA testing had been behind the wrong conviction and incarceration of an individual accused in a rape case. Further investigations revealed that several of the troubles discovered originated from DNA mixtures and the utilization of an old and PCR-centric test instead of the modern and required method of STR typing. This underscores the specific detail that the lab employed an ineffective method for DNA testing. It can be established that the chief reasons behind the shutting down of the laboratory were the lack of proper training, an inability to acquire laboratory authorization, a deficiency of required and sufficient facilities, and a failure to act in synchronization with data interpretation guidelines, which resulted into several problems (Butler, 2010, p. 292).

From a management standpoint, the process broke down at the fundamental level. The problems included a lack of effective structures and poor funding. Further problems in relation to the management included the fact that the DNA lab was not provided sufficient resources by the management of the crime lab. More inconsistencies in the structure of management demonstrated that that was not adequate supervision to monitor the procedure of DNA testing efficiently for a considerable time span. There was a lack of effectual management and leadership within the perimeters of the crime lab, and existing members of management did not succeed in the required procedure and could not deal with the upper echelons of the hierarchy to cause them to provide the resources and other aspects that the lab was lacking. Other relevant aspects can be established with the integration of the specific detail that the Houston DNA lab's quality assurance and quality control procedures were also of a lacking nature and the lab did not meet the standards set by the FBI for the area of DNA testing. Other problems existed because the DNA lab had never been audited by anyone outside the crime lab. How it affected the judicial system of Houston was by causing a retesting program on a huge scale, working on the principle