Welcome to
the DuPage County Forensic Science Center
About our Laboratory
The DuPage County
Crime Forensic Science Center (FSC) is located in Wheaton, Illinois,
approximately
30 miles west of Chicago. Since May 1st, 1971, the citizens of DuPage County
have benefited from the laboratory services provided by the Sheriff's FSC, which are made available to all law
enforcement agencies in the county.
Our Mission
The mission of the
DuPage County FSC is to provide quality and
timely forensic science services to the criminal justice system of
DuPage County. The laboratory has three sections: Chemistry, Criminalistics and Forensic Biology/DNA which offer
analysis in the disciplines of Drug Chemistry,
Latent Prints and Forensic
Biology/DNA.
Accreditation
The laboratory is accredited by ANSI National
Accreditation Board (ANAB)
to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017, Accreditation Requirements for Forensic
Testing and Calibration (2023) and the
FBI Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing
Laboratories:2020.
The Crime Laboratory Handbook, 25th Edition, contains critical
information for law enforcement agencies regarding the types of analysis
we provide, and the proper collection, preservation and submission of
evidence to our laboratory.
Laboratory Sections
The
Chemistry Section utilizes instrumental,
chemical, and other techniques, unknown substances in various forms
including, but not limited to, plant material, powders,
tablets/capsules, paper, and liquids, are analyzed for the presence of
controlled substances as defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances
Act, Illinois Compiled Statutes. §720 ILCS 570; the Kratom Control Act,
Illinois Compiled Statues. §720 ILCS 643; and the Cannabis Control Act,
Illinois Compiled Statues. §720 ILCS 550.
The
Criminalistics Section utilizes visual,
photographic, and chemical processing techniques, to compare the
fingerprints of known individuals with latent fingerprints recovered
from or developed at a crime scene. The basis for the science of
fingerprint examination is that friction ridge patterns present on the
human fingers, palms of the hands, and bottoms of the feet are both
persistent and unique to an individual.
The Forensic
Biology/DNA Section comprises Forensic Biology and DNA. Forensic
Biology (FB) searches for the presence of body fluids and trace
evidence. FB currently provides presumptive tests for blood, semen, and
saliva, and a confirmatory test for semen. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
collected from a crime scene can either link a person to the evidence or
eliminate them as the source of DNA. DNA can show familial
relationships. The DNA database (known as CODIS) is used to compare DNA
from crime scenes to DNA of convicted offenders or with DNA left by the
perpetrators at other crime scenes.
Special Thanks
Our staff at the DuPage County FSC would like to thank the
National Institute of Justice for funding the creation of this website,
which will facilitate communication and collaboration with our
submitting agencies.
