Wisconsin's Attorney General says progress is being made in eliminating a backlog of DNA testing.
Nearly 1,800 pieces of DNA evidence are still waiting to be tested in state crime labs. However, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen says they're on track to process 57-percent more cases compared to last year.
Van Hollen says that progress comes despite not having 30 new lab technicians in place yet. Lawmakers approved extra funding for more staff earlier this year, but they're still being trained.
Instead, the Attorney General says reorganization has been the key to getting more cases cleared. Changes include the use of robotic testing, re-prioritizing analyst duties, and talking with police about what types of evidence should be submitted for DNA testing.
Despite the progress, Van Hollen believes it will be 2010 before the entire backlog is cleared up.