Washington ( CNN ) -- The FBI lab has made strides in cutting down its backlog of forensic DNA cases , according to a report released Tuesday by the Justice Department 's Office of Inspector General . As of March 2012 the backlog stood at 403 cases compared to 3,211 cases two years prior . The report attributed the improvement to increased use of automation , more staff and a focus on using DNA analysis in situations in which it 's most likely to yield useful results . The FBI lab tests biological evidence found at crime scenes and items like envelopes , drinking glasses and articles of clothing . The lab does the work for not just the FBI but also for local police departments that do n't have forensic labs . FBI , Justice Department reviewing forensic evidence in thousands of cases . The report found the biggest reduction in cases came in the area of nuclear DNA , in which biological fluids like blood and semen are analyzed . There was not as large a drop in the backlog of cases involving mitochondrial DNA , which looks at such things as teeth , hair and highly degraded fragments of bones . According to the inspector general , the FBI decided not to examine samples in 300 of the backlogged mitochondrial DNA cases that came from the FBI 's Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center . The report said it had been policy to submit all hairs found on improvised explosive devices . `` The FBI told us that there have been no documented instances for which probative results were generated from these mitochondrial DNA examinations , '' said the report . The FBI changed its policy on analyzing samples from all such cases . The inspector general said a previous report found the FBI lab does n't have a system to electronically manage lab information and that was still the case as of June . The report said the FBI spent at least $ 14 million since 2003 on two failed attempts to come up with such a system . The inspector general said the FBI is trying to develop a new system . High court lets controversial criminal DNA collection law stay in place for now .
Backlog drops from 3,211 to 403 in two years , report says . Comment: Report attributeds improvement to increased use of automation , more staff .