Parameters derived | Definition and/or formula | Remarks |
Ncf | Number of case files received by the forensic science laboratory per year | 525 for 2014 and 732 in 2015 |
Ncf,d | Number of case files received by a specific laboratory discipline per year | Three disciplines apply: forensic chemistry, toxicology and biology/DNA |
Sf | Sample influx (number of samples per case file) | Based on records for each case file received at sample receiving office |
Ns | Total number of samples | Determined for each of the three disciplines and also for the whole FSL for 2014 and 2015 |
Cps | Average cost per sample: Forensic chemistry = $29.0 Forensic toxicology = $14.0 Forensic Biology/DNA = $42.0 | Based on price list data averaged for each discipline and applied to each sample |
Cpcf | Cost per case file (1) | This is determined per specific sample type and price in practice; in this study, Cps was used for simplicity |
CTd | Total cost in each discipline (2) | Summation of all case file into the specific discipline |
CT | Total cost for FSL (3) | Total cost based only on analysis costs, determined from the three forensic science disciplines (chemistry, toxicology and biology/DNA). |
| Average sample influx per discuipline (4) | Average sample influx for each forensic discipline for comparison of workload among laboratories |
| Modal sample influx for each discipline | Most frequent sample influx value in each forensic science discipline |
and | Statistical parameters skewness and kurtosis for sample influx time series applied fpor each forensic science discipline | Used to express the second moments of spread in the sample influx data for each forensic science discipline |