Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Use of DNA in the Investigation of High-Volume Crimes

Author(s): John Roman, Shannon Reid, Jay Reid, Aaron Chalfin, William Adams, Carly KnightOther Availability: PDF Printer-Friendly PagePosted to Web: June 16, 2008Permanent Link: http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411697

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Abstract

The study compared traditional crime solving to biological evidence techniques in hundreds of cases where biological evidence was available. When conventional investigative techniques were used, a suspect was identified 12 percent of the time, compared to 31 percent of the cases using DNA evidence. In eight percent of cases built on traditional evidence alone a suspect was arrested, compared to the 16 percent arrest rate in DNA cases. The average added cost for processing a single case with DNA evidence was about $1,397. Each additional arrest—an arrest that would not have occurred without DNA processing—cost $14,169.

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Check out the whole report in the pdf at the above link. Tom