LIMS system in Latent Print Units

[kimba325]

We are going to be sending out an RFP for purchasing a LIMS system and would like to know if anyone had any suggestions for features that would suit Latent Print discipline. For example, what things do you think are imperative for Latent Prints. It seems that everything is centered around what is best for DNA, and we want to make sure we get a system that also works for us as a unit. Thanks for any and all input

[Thomas Taylor]

Personally, I prefer a Big Chief tablet and a box of crayons.

[Danny L. Harness]

Kimba325

I too was fustrated with the Lims system in regards to mataining stats and other data.

For that reason I developed a seperate desktop database to track statistical data for our Latent Print Unit. We are able to obtain stats on the following items:
cases worked for each agency
cases worked by examiner
cases worked by specific crime
Number of comparisons worked v. identifications effected
Number of AFIS cases entered v. identifications effected
plus many other types of data

I am able to create a custom DB with your specific needs in mind.

If you would like further information, please email me.
Thanks

[Charles Parker]

I have worked with two LIMS up to this point and the first one looking back on it from where I am at now. It was pretty nice.

The current one----I am not too thrilled. I tell people that it was written by Chemist for Chemist----but that could just be my negative attitude showing through. For all I know it was written by DNA people for DNA people.

You cannot get stats from it, not like we used to. It piles multiple tasks upon one assignment that if you try to use that as stats it looks like you are doing 3-4 times as much work as you used to (come to think of it, that might not be such a bad idea-----instead of doing 30 cases a month I am now doing 120------Excuse me---Sharon's laughing right now).

I do like the evidence bar code from one examiner to another. It sure beats having to sign and date the little COC slips that were in each envelope.

When investigative personnel makes a request the victim and all the other names are added so we either work them out along with the suspect or ignore it. That could be dangerous because the investigator might acutally want them compared.

I like Danny's approach. We had a separate Data Base that tracked our cases and work flow, but when LIMS came on board we were told to abandon it. So for the past two years they still cannot tell what is coming in or going out (that might not be such a bad thing either).

Come to think of it maybe it is a good system. You know how the old saying goes.

What management does not know----cannot hurt me.

Thomas I have my Big Chief tablet and a box of number 2 pencils to keep my on stats with. Good idea.