Sorenson Forensics Helps New York’s Monroe County Forensics Laboratory Achieve 200 Percent Efficiency Increase

• Sorenson Forensics is First Accredited Forensics Laboratory to Offer Lean Six Sigma Consulting Services
• Labs Across the Nation Have Seen Similarly Positive Results After Working with Sorenson Forensics

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sorenson Forensics today announced that after teaching the principles of lean manufacturing and six sigma process improvements to New York’s Monroe County Crime Laboratory DNA Section in August and September 2012, the lab has improved efficiency by 200 percent.

“By applying the lean six sigma principles to forensic science, Sorenson Forensics has helped us significantly streamline case work reviews”

“By applying the lean six sigma principles to forensic science, Sorenson Forensics has helped us significantly streamline case work reviews,” said Ellyn Colquhoun, DNA Technical Leader for Monroe County Crime Laboratory. “We have been extremely impressed by how drastically efficiency has improved in just a few months. We’ve already seen an increase of 200 percent, and we project that by the end of 2013 we will have processed 400 percent more cases, which is a phenomenal achievement.”

In addition to being a leading provider of advanced forensic DNA services, Sorenson Forensics also offers industry-best DNA casework assistance to federal, state and local crime laboratories, and is the first accredited forensics laboratory to offer lean six sigma consulting services. In an effort to improve the technical and administrative review of case reports and case files, Monroe County contracted with Sorenson Forensics for guidance in developing more efficient methods using lean manufacturing and six sigma process improvements.

Sorenson Forensics began adapting the lean six sigma principles to forensic procedures in 2008, and after experiencing great success internally, began consulting other forensics agencies who saw similar results. For example, after working with Onondaga County Center for Forensic Sciences DNA Section, also in New York, the lab was able to reduce case processing time by nearly 50 percent, and increased productivity equivalent to adding an additional analyst.

“The results that labs like Monroe have experienced are replicable in every crime laboratory across the nation,” said Tim Kupferschmid, executive director of Sorenson Forensics. “By improving these efficiencies, we are helping labs get through their caseloads more quickly and accurately, while becoming more cost efficient. We are committed to offering superior consulting services that help labs throughout the nation operate as optimally as possible.”

For more information on Sorenson Forensics, visit www.sorensonforensics.com.

About Sorenson Forensics

Sorenson Forensics (www.sorensonforensics.com) is a leading provider of advanced forensic DNA services and offers industry-best casework assistance to federal, state and local crime laboratories, assists officers of the court in individual criminal cases, and offers comprehensive forensic DNA services to private industry clients. Sorenson Forensics provides services, such as STR and Y-STR analysis; comprehensive biology screening; full serology testing, including blood, semen and other body fluid identification; DNA case consultation; expert testimony, validation services and laboratory lean six sigma services. The Sorenson Forensics team consists of individuals internationally recognized for their extensive public and private crime lab experience and for their rigor in the exacting requirements of forensics casework. Sorenson Forensics has established an extraordinary record for helping to crack difficult-to-resolve cases, including previously unsolved “cold cases.”