WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX), Lead Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it will award a total of $5,620,869 to the University of North Texas Health Science Center and the City of Fort Worth to support forensic science research, fund crime laboratories, decrease the backlog of untested rape kits, and help law enforcement identify missing persons.
“Forensic science is a key part of our justice system. It provides our police and investigators scientifically-grounded, reliable, rapid, and cost-effective methods of solving crimes and helps bring answers to survivors, sometimes after many years.
"While Fort Worth still enjoys a lower crime rate compared to other major U.S. cities, some violent crimes have increased nationwide amid the coronavirus, and Fort Worth has not been immune. These grants from the Department of Justice will provide UNT Health Science Center and the City of Fort Worth increased investments in their crime-fighting technology, helping them and their law enforcement partners better analyze DNA, missing persons data, and ultimately convict perpetrators and ensure justice.
“As the former Mayor of Fort Worth, I know firsthand how important the criminal justice system is to deterring crime and keeping our communities safe, and I applaud the DOJ for its investments in the quality and practice of forensic science in Texas 12."
BACKGROUND
Below is the breakdown of the $5.6 million in DOJ awards for Texas 12:
| Recipient | Department of Justice Grant Program |
Amount |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center |
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System | $4,288,461 |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center | DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program |
$588,602 |
| City of Fort Worth |
DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program | $464,386 |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center | Research and Evaluation for the Testing and Interpretation of Physical Evidence in Publicly Funded Forensic Laboratories | $198,362 |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center | Graduate Research Fellowship Program | $81,058 |