BJA FY 21 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA

The Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights, increases access to justice, supports crime victims, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. The Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA Program provides funds to: (1) prosecute violent crime cold cases and (2) decrease the number of violent crime cold cases awaiting/pending prosecution.

Through this program, BJA will provide grant funding to support the prosecution of violent crime cold cases, where DNA from a suspect has been identified (suspect(s) may be known or unknown). Provided that DNA attributed to a known or unknown suspect has been identified, funding support includes investigative activities and crime and forensic analyses that could lead to prosecuting violent crime cold cases, and decreasing the number of violent crime cold cases awaiting/pending prosecution.

BJA defines a "violent crime cold case" as a case, such as a UCR Part 1 violent crime, missing persons, or unidentified persons, that has remained unsolved for at least 3 years, and has (1) the potential to be solved and/or prosecuted through the application of forensic techniques and/or technologies or (2) newly acquired information, or advanced technologies, to analyze evidence.

For the purposes of this solicitation, "prosecute" includes all activities necessary to adjudicate violent crime cold cases, including, but not limited to, case review, investigation, crime analysis, and evidence analyses.