Governor Jim Doyle and Democratic Attorney General candidate Kathleen Falk have unveiled a new plan to eliminate a backlog of DNA testing at state crime labs. Governor Jim Doyle says the proposal would add 15 analysts to state crime labs and create a new system to prioritize testing of DNA evidence in crucial cases. Doyle says DNA in those cases would need to be tested and compared to a national database within 30 days.
Nearly 2,000 cases are awaiting DNA testing in state labs, and the backlog was a key issue in the Democratic primary for the Attorney General's race. Doyle says these new proposals will help to meet the demands of the system for the time being, although he recognizes that additional spending will be needed in the future.
Congressman Mark Green, the Republican nominee for governor, was critical of the plan. He says the backlog should have been addressed years ago…not just a few weeks before the election.
The proposal would cost about $1.2 million in the next state budget.
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