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STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Despite increased usage by the Criminal Justice System, limited research has been conducted on the administrative components of these laboratories. This study makes use of gathering descriptive data from forensic professionals to examine the differences between private and public forensic laboratories in the states of Missouri and Kansas. This study begins by examining professional opinion of forensic laboratory staff and mangers, and how to incorporate private laboratories and public laboratories in criminal cases symbiotically. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY To accomplish this descriptive analysis, a survey containing 12 demographic questions and 19 questions using a Likert scale will be provided (please see attached survey). This survey will be distributed to private and public forensic laboratories in the Missouri and Kansas area. This survey will be delivered in person to a majority of the laboratories and mailed to those laboratories that are out of travel distance. Laboratory supervisors will be reached by phone or email ahead of time to set up a time to visit the laboratory or to give a time as to when the surveys will be mailed to the laboratory. Sponsors for this proposal will include professors and acquaintances that are either affiliated with forensic laboratories or hold a position at a forensic laboratory and will assist with the distribution of my survey at their laboratories. ANTICIPATED RISKS AND BENEFITS There is no foreseeable risk for laboratory staff and managers participation. They have the opportunity to decline as defined in the attached header to the survey. There are anticipated benefits of this study for the field of forensic science. These benefits include utilizing the opinions of professionals in the forensic field to develop a method to lesson ongoing issues threatening all forensic laboratories. Also, bring a potential methodical end to the debate over forensic accuracy occurring between private and public forensic laboratories. SUBJECT SELECTION Participants selected are professionals currently working in, or with immense experience in the field of forensic science. These participants will include forensic management (i.e. supervisors) and laboratory staff. It is important to select those affiliated with the forensic field, especially laboratories to obtain accurate results. CONFIDENTIALITY This project makes use of a survey that is completely voluntary and anonymous. No names will be given and hardcopies of surveys will be destroyed once data is collected to ensure there is no association with any personally identifying marks. My contact information is: lsilcott@missouriwestern.edu, Dr. Lindsteadt, who can be reached at glindsteadt@missouriwestern.edu or by phone at (816) 271-4467. PRIMARY SUPPORTING DOCUMENT Click for Word Document Amendment on 10-16-2012 It looks as if my proposal will take 90 days not 30 days to collect data successfully.