The Crime Laboratory of the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences conducts analyses in the forensic disciplines of Toxicology, Forensic Genetics, Drug Chemistry and Trace Evidence.  The Crime Laboratory is accredited by the American Society for Crime Laboratory Directors / Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) under the International Program and by the Texas Department of Public Safety.  The Toxicology Laboratory is accredited by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT).  In addition, the Forensic Genetics Laboratory maintains compliance with the FBI Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories. The Crime Laboratory provides services to the Forensic Pathology Service and law enforcement agencies in Harris County and the surrounding counties.  The Laboratory completed 21,562 cases in 2009, a 14% increase over year 2008.  In particular, the Forensic Genetics Laboratory saw a 44% increase in completed cases.  The Drug Chemistry Laboratory has improved their turnaround time by completing 90% of cases within 10 days. The Crime Laboratory continues to invest in new technology to improve methods and increase productivity. The Laboratory recently added LC/MS/MS, Headspace GCMS, GC/MS/MS, and Liquid Chromatography/Time-of-Flight/Mass Spectrometer (LC/TOF/MS) instrumentation. The Scanning Electron Microscopes have been upgraded with more efficient X-ray detection systems.  To complete the automation of the DNA testing process, the Forensic Genetics Laboratory added three new robotic instruments.   The Crime Laboratory supports an internship program for college students.  The program provides students with the opportunity to complete a research project in the Laboratory and to familiarize themselves with laboratory operations.  Visiting scientist positions are also available for experienced scientists.  The visiting scientists participate in advanced research projects.