Abstract
Backlog in public crime laboratories has been a main concern of criminal justice personnel for many years. There have been multiple, extensive studies done to determine reasons for backlog, which have concluded numerous explanations such as; poor economy, limited staffing, and an increase in crime rates. Changing public crime laboratories practices has not proved successful, as backlog continually increases each year. However, educating law enforcement personnel to be able to screen and/or evaluate their latent lifts for ridge detail of value for comparison prior to submission to the public crime laboratory. This approach may successfully decrease backlog and increase turn-around time. Being trained in this specific field, law enforcement and crime scene personnel will gain the knowledge, tools, and the abilities necessary to identify latent print ridge detail on lift cards which they have lifted.