When a crime lab makes mistakes, the victims, the accused, the convicted and the general public, all have reason to be troubled. Victims and their families may be concerned that those who have harmed them will not be held accountable. The wrongfully accused and convicted rightfully lament they may never be exonerated. Finally, the general public can understandably complain that the justice system too often fails all of us.

Thankfully for residents of Connecticut, a significant state crime lab has regained its accreditation and may return to processing criminal evidence in a fair and time-sensitive manner. However, it will likely be some time before the lab recovers control of its backlogs of DNA evidence related to everything from homicides to sex crimes.

U.S. Justice Department auditors allowed the lab's accreditation to expire after dozens of significant problems were discovered last year. Concerns included the employment of analysts not proficient or experienced in their fields, unacceptable record-keeping practices and prohibited backlogs of unsealed and unanalyzed evidence.

The lab has not yet regained its ability to access national DNA databanks. The FBI must grant permission for access to be restored. Officials say restoration of accreditation will aid the lab in obtaining necessary permissions.

There is no question that an efficient, safe and expertly run crime lab benefits both victims and suspects alike. The restoration of Connecticut's once nationally-respected crime lab will benefit the state's residents. And as for the wrongfully accused or convicted waiting for important evidence to be analyzed? The backlogs cannot be cleared quickly enough.

Source: ABC News, "Connecticut Crime Lab Wins Accreditation Bid," Dave Collins, Feb. 7, 2012