Institutional Achievement  - 10th Annual DNA Awareness Educational Forum

California Forensic Science Institute (C.F.S.I.) 

Presented by: Dr. James Rosser, President, California State University, Los Angeles 

The California Forensic Science Institute (C.F.S.I.) was established in 2001 to optimize the collaboration at the Hertzberg-David

Forensic Science Center, located on the California State University, Los Angeles campus.

            C.F.S.I.’s mission is to “bridge the forensic science gap between scientific advancements and its effective utilization in

crime laboratories.”

            The institute, led by founding Executive Director Rose Ochi, has built a strong and purposeful alliance among the regional

crime lab’s partners – California State University, Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department and the Los

Angeles Police Department.

            Since its inception, C.F.S.I. has successfully meet needs that couldn’t have been readily accomplished by the individual

partners. The collaboration effectively unites law enforcement personnel, students, faculty member, criminal justice

professionals, private sector interests and the public around issues of forensic science.

             The institute provides in-service training, conducts public policy forums, promotes applied research and advances career

development for aspiring criminalists.            

              In recent years, C.F.S.I. offered a six-week training program for entry-level criminalists from L.A.S.D. and L.A.P.D. on

“Basic DNA for Forensic DNA Analysts” and a separate training, titled “Principles of Forensics DNA for Officers of the Court,”
for public defenders and alternate public defenders in Los Angeles County.

            C.F.S.I. brought together a variety of experts for a symposium on advance and emerging technologies in forensics NDA

analysis. The institute also sponsored a well-attended public forum on challenges facing forensic science.

             C.F.S.I. supports applied forensic research including a pilot study to evaluate the use of mitochondrial DNA in the analysis
of touch samples found at crime scenes.

             It also nurtures the future of forensic science by offering scholarships and internships to exceptional graduate students.

            To fund student scholarships, C.F.S.I. hosted a day-long workshop for crimes writers that provided an insider’s view of

crime scene investigations and the crime lab.