TY - JOUR
T1 - A prospective cost–benefit analysis for nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs®
T2 - example of the process and potential benefits
AU - Budowle, Bruce
AU - Ge, Jianye
AU - Sajantila, Antti
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Santina Castriciano from Copan for her input regarding this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/11
Y1 - 2022/11
N2 - Laboratories and their criminal justice systems are confronted with challenges for implementing new technologies, practices, and policies even when there appears to be demonstrative benefits to operational performance. Impacting decisions are the often higher costs associated with, for example, new technologies, limited current budgets, and making hard decisions on what to sacrifice to take on the seemingly better approach. A prospective cost–benefit analysis (CBA) could help an agency better formulate its strategies and plans and more importantly delineate how a relatively small increase to take on, for example, a new technology can have large impact on the system (e.g., the agency, other agencies, victims and families, and taxpayers). To demonstrate the process and potential value a CBA was performed on the use of an alternate and more expensive swab with reported better DNA yield and being certified human DNA free (i.e., nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs®), versus the traditional less costly swab (i.e., cotton swab). Assumptions are described, potential underestimates and overestimates noted, different values applied (for low and modest to high), and potential benefits (monetary and qualitative) presented. The overall outcome is that the cost of using the more expensive technology pales compared with the potential tangible and intangible benefits. This approach could be a guide for laboratories (and associated criminal justice systems) worldwide to support increased funding, although the costs and benefits may vary locally and for different technologies, practices, and policies. With well-developed CBAs, goals of providing the best services to support the criminal justice system and society can be attained.
AB - Laboratories and their criminal justice systems are confronted with challenges for implementing new technologies, practices, and policies even when there appears to be demonstrative benefits to operational performance. Impacting decisions are the often higher costs associated with, for example, new technologies, limited current budgets, and making hard decisions on what to sacrifice to take on the seemingly better approach. A prospective cost–benefit analysis (CBA) could help an agency better formulate its strategies and plans and more importantly delineate how a relatively small increase to take on, for example, a new technology can have large impact on the system (e.g., the agency, other agencies, victims and families, and taxpayers). To demonstrate the process and potential value a CBA was performed on the use of an alternate and more expensive swab with reported better DNA yield and being certified human DNA free (i.e., nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs®), versus the traditional less costly swab (i.e., cotton swab). Assumptions are described, potential underestimates and overestimates noted, different values applied (for low and modest to high), and potential benefits (monetary and qualitative) presented. The overall outcome is that the cost of using the more expensive technology pales compared with the potential tangible and intangible benefits. This approach could be a guide for laboratories (and associated criminal justice systems) worldwide to support increased funding, although the costs and benefits may vary locally and for different technologies, practices, and policies. With well-developed CBAs, goals of providing the best services to support the criminal justice system and society can be attained.
KW - Cost–benefit analysis
KW - Cotton swab
KW - Database
KW - Forensic genomics
KW - Nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs®
KW - Rape
KW - Sexual assault
KW - Tangible and intangible benefits
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137463543&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00414-022-02884-0
DO - 10.1007/s00414-022-02884-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 36057692
AN - SCOPUS:85137463543
SN - 0937-9827
VL - 136
SP - 1541
EP - 1549
JO - International Journal of Legal Medicine
JF - International Journal of Legal Medicine
IS - 6
ER -