Analysis of Stress Backlogs during Case-File Processing in Forensic Science Laboratory

• 作者: George Mwaluko Gloria Cuthbert Omari Samwel Victor Manyele
• 来源期刊: 工程(英文)(1947-3931)
• 学科: 医学
• 关键词: Forensic Science LABORATORY Case-File PROCESSING Backlogs Forensic Chemistry Forensic TOXICOLOGY Forensic Biology/DNA Case-File INFLUX
• 年，卷（期）: 2017,（12）
• 页码范围: 1060-1096
• 页数: 37页
• 分类号: R73

摘要

Case-file backlogs were identified as one of the cause factors affecting the competitiveness of the forensic science laboratory (FSL). Backlogs represent case-files?that remain unprocessed or unreported within a selected time interval (year, week or month) which leads to increased customer complaints, rework, cost of analysis, degradation of biological samples, etc. Case-file backlogging was quantified in three consecutive years (2014 to 2016), using the following parameters: case-files received and case-files processed, difference of which gives case-files backlogged. There was a need to define time interval for a case-file to be regarded as backlogged (that is, one week), results of which can translate into backlogged case-files per month or year. A data collection tool was established and used for three work stations (forensic chemistry, biology/DNA and toxicology laboratories). The tool includes starting and ending date for each?time interval, in which the numbers of case-files received and processed were entered followed by computing the backlogs. It was observed that, case-files reported?increased between 2014 and 2016 leading to a decrease in backlogged case-files.?The annual percentage of the case-files backlogged was highest for forensic?toxicology. The highest number of case-files backlogged was observed for forensic?chemistry, followed by forensic biology/DNA. The number of case-files?backlogged per analyst per year was highest in 2014 and dropped continuously?towards 2016, being comparably higher in forensic biology/DNA and chemistry.?Probability density functions (PDFs) and cumulative distribution functions (CDFs)?of backlogs data indicated that a large number of backlogs created in previous?weeks were eliminated. It was concluded that the effect of case-file backlogging on FSL competitiveness can be minimized by continued management effort in backlog elimination.