Postconviction DNA Testing Assistance Program

The summary for the Postconviction DNA Testing Assistance Program grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Institute of Justice, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Postconviction DNA Testing Assistance Program: The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ solicits proposals to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. NIJ is seeking applications from States wishing to receive funding to help defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing of forcible rape, murder, and non-negligent manslaughter cases in which actual innocence might be demonstrated. Funds may be used to review such postconviction cases and to locate and analyze biological evidence associated with these cases. Postconviction DNA testing has received considerable attention in recent years. Since the advent of forensic DNA analysis, a number of people convicted of crimes have been subsequently exonerated through DNA analysis of crime scene evidence that was not tested at the time of trial. Additionally, newer technologies have substantially increased the successful DNA analysis of aged, degraded, limited, or otherwise compromised biological evidence. As a result, crime scene samples once thought to be unsuitable for testing in the past may now yield DNA profiles. Additionally, samples that previously generated inconclusive DNA results may now be amenable to reanalysis using newer methods. The Presidents DNA Initiative, Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology, supports funding to help defray costs of appropriate postconviction DNA testing.