Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Congratulates Dallas County on Receiving a Department of Justice Grant

Dallas, TX – (Tuesday, August 27, 2013) –  Today Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announced that the U.S. Department of Justice will award a federal grant of $698,382 to Dallas County for the Fiscal Year 2013 DNA Backlog Reduction Program. The funds will be used to assist Dallas County in their efforts to reduce forensic DNA sample turnaround time, increase the establishment of public DNA laboratories, and reduce DNA backlogs.

“I am very pleased to announce that DOJ will award these funds to Dallas County,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “I know these funds will be used to ensure that we improve our efforts to reduce current delays in processing, and prevent future backlogs. In order for our criminal justice system to work in a fair and timely manner, we must ensure that our crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis have the resources they need to run more efficiently and effectively. This is particularly true of the current budget climate we find ourselves in.”

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins noted, “Congresswoman Johnson’s successful efforts to obtain this grant will further enhance District Attorney Craig Watkins’ and Dallas County’s ‘smart on crime’ approach and enhance justice in Dallas County.”

###

U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a Ranking member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Kessler Park, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, South Dallas & South Oak Cliff; all of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Ferris, Glenn Heights, South Grand Prairie, Oak Lawn, Ovilla, Uptown/Victory Park and West Dallas.