Arkansas has launched Rapid DNA technology at participating booking stations, allowing qualifying arrestee DNA samples to be processed and compared with crime-scene evidence in approximately 90 minutes.
The initiative makes Arkansas one of the first states in the United States to deploy Rapid DNA technology for law-enforcement use at booking stations.
The technology is designed to accelerate the generation of DNA profiles from qualifying arrestee samples. Once generated, the profiles can be uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), where they can be searched against eligible crime-scene DNA profiles.
If a DNA profile produces a match with crime-scene evidence, the relevant booking and investigating agencies can be notified. The rapid turnaround could provide investigators with forensic information much sooner, potentially helping identify connections between an arrest and previously unsolved cases.
The Saline County Detention Center in Benton began processing qualifying arrestee samples on September 23, 2026. The Faulkner County Detention Center in Conway is also preparing to begin operations as part of the program.
Before the launch, participating personnel underwent training and testing. The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory received authorization to operate the Rapid DNA program following the completion of the required procedures and assessments.
How Rapid DNA Works
Rapid DNA systems automate several stages of the DNA profiling process. Unlike conventional DNA analysis, which can require laboratory processing over a longer period, Rapid DNA technology can generate a DNA profile from a suitable reference sample within a much shorter timeframe.
In Arkansas, the resulting profiles are integrated into the state’s forensic DNA infrastructure and searched through CODIS. The program operates under established training, certification, quality-control, privacy and operational requirements.
The introduction of Rapid DNA at booking stations represents an important development in the use of forensic genetics during the early stages of criminal investigations.
By reducing the time between DNA collection and database searching, Rapid DNA technology may provide investigators with forensic intelligence much earlier in an investigation and potentially help establish links between individuals and crime-scene evidence.