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15 www.officer.com July 2014 Law Enforcement Technology EVIDENCE & FORENSICS and with the highest accuracy: prosecut- ing and defense attorneys, and crime investigators. "It's about communica- tion on what's happening in the lab or how long it will take to get any type of notification or results back on evidence being analyzed," offers Brady Mills, presi- dent of the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) and who also is assistant lab director for the Texas Department of Public Safety. "These are all pieces of information that investiga- tors or attorneys need, so automating would help both sides (the lab and the aforementioned stakeholders)." Mills noted there are times when criminalists and attorneys need to have information regarding evidence quicker than a lab can provide it. Integration, he added, would speed up this process. Higher reporting consistency, shorter cycle times The Texas Department of Public Safety uses the JusticeTRAX LIMS. It has prov- en valuable by giving the department's network of 13 labs spread all over Texas a centralized database. Additionally, the software allows e-mailing of lab reports to local, county and state agencies, and to attorneys bringing cases to trial. It also provides smoother workflows within teams at the scattered labs while case pro- cessing is performed. And since reporting is the core of any LIMS, the software enables lab personnel to create reports as they enter data into the LIMS for greater consistency. Cycle times for evidence processing are shortened, too, relieving backlogs, in some cases where, say, a drug case is done in 30 days instead of 90 days. Whether a LIMS is used in conjunc- tion with an evidence management system within just one agency or at a state lab network, integrating these two systems yields numerous efficiencies, saves time, and tightens chain of custody. Simply, integration is the next wave in assuring more finite handling of evidence. Says Webley, the FileOnQ Inc. CEO: "The chain of custody that the lab has through its LIMS is only a partial view. But if this could be integrated with the evidence management system and into its chain of custody, key stakeholders could observe a complete picture of evidence status end-to-end, at any time and from nearly any locale." ■ Robert Galvin is a freelance writer based in Oregon City, Ore. The diference is clear… A CCU T RANS® sets a new standard for lifting fngerprints. • AutoMix is easy to use... no mixing required! • Ideal for all surfaces, including Styrofoam, brick, computer housings, etc. • Transparent PVS material allows direct comparison of minutia points. 1-800-262-6262 Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 www.AccuTransUSA.com Eliminate Reverse Prints! Transparent Casting Material Now Available in Black ACCUTRANS® Starter Kit includes Transparent, White, and Brown casting silicone. Circle 59 on Reader Service Card COMPANY READER SERVICE NO. FileOnQ Inc. 60 Forensic Advantage Systems 61 JusticeTRAX 62 For more information on these companies, circle the corresponding number on the Reader Service Card M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N LET_10-15_LIMS.indd 15 6/25/14 11:56 AM