JusticeDrive^™ Frequently Asked Questions

What is JusticeDrive?

The free fundraising platform, JusticeDrive, provides tools for law enforcement agencies (or their designees) to create and manage case-specific campaigns. Funds raised are directed to the specific law enforcement agency to be used in accordance with the usage statement associated with each specific campaign.

How does JusticeDrive work?

The JusticeDrive website is maintained as a community service by Parabon^™ NanoLabs. Funds raised may be used by the investigating agency at its sole discretion. Agencies can withdraw funds at any time without affecting progress toward the campaign goal.

If your agency is unable to accept donations directly, a beneficiary may be designated (e.g., a law enforcement foundation that supports your agency). Parabon can serve as the beneficiary if the donations are to be used for Snapshot DNA Analysis — i.e., phenotyping, ancestry determination, kinship inference, genetic genealogy, etc.

How can JusticeDrive funds be used?

JusticeDrive funds raised must be used for legitimate expenses that will help law enforcement agencies accomplish their mission. For example recent DNA-related case analyses, especially via genetic genealogy, have clearly demonstrated how powerful advanced DNA analysis can be in solving difficult cases and bringing closure to families that have been affected by violent crime. As well, computer vision analyses, predictive analytics, and sophisticated digital forensics can all make an enormous difference in law enforcement effectiveness. The specific planned usage must be disclosed on each campaign posted on the portal.

Why was JusticeDrive created?

JusticeDrive is designed to bridge the gap between public citizens who want to see violent crimes solved quickly and law enforcement agencies that sometimes lack the financial resources for technology and testing that can often determine whether or not a case gets solved.

The inspiration for JusticeDrive originally came as a result of the numerous citizens across the US who have heard about Parabon's Snapshot Advanced DNA Analysis Service and emailed and called offering to donate money to Parabon to help police departments pay for services. There are an extraordinary amount of people in the world who care about public safety and want to support case solving endeavors of law enforcement agencies.

Supporting this crowdfunding initiative is Parabon's way of helping to ensure groundbreaking technologies are available and essential investigative tools are available to all law enforcement investigations that have a need for them.

How effective has JusticeDrive been?

Extremely effective! The first 4 cases on JusticeDrive raised $15,300 in a matter of days after the campaign was posted. A total of 131 individual donors contributed to the campaigns. Without JusticeDrive and the generosity of the donors, those case investigations would still be stalled. In fact, the investigators in two of those cases are most likely going to be confirming the identity of their unknown persons-of-interest in the very near future and the other two cases are moving forward with DNA processing.

Do law enforcement agencies have to pay any fees to use JusticeDrive?

No. It's free for law enforcement agencies to use. JusticeDrive utilizes GoFundMe and PayPal, which each have processing fees that they deduct from every donation. Your JusticeDrive representative will help you develop a final budget that adds extra dollars onto your baseline budget to cover these processing fees.

What are the agencies' responsibilities?

First, if you don't already know what your agency's policy is on donations, please research it. We have worked with a wide range of policies. Your JusticeDrive representative will set up your agency's case campaign in a customized manner in order to meet the rules and regulations of your organization/jurisdiction. For example, you can designate someone within your organization or a third party, such as Parabon or a community non-profit organization, to serve as your campaign financial fiduciary to receive funds.

Second, complete a criminal investigation case enrollment form that includes a case summary, images that represent the case or your agency, and a list of how donated funds will be used;

Lastly, contact your local media representatives and tell them about the JusticeDrive campaign after it is posted. The key to a successful campaign is to enlist the help of local media. The more media coverage your campaign has the more likely you will raise the funds you need. JusticeDrive representatives can provide you with a template and/or sample of a press release.

If your agency can't solicit funds directly from the public, then JusticeDrive can do it, but the agency will need to provide a list of local journalists/reporters for your JusticeDrive representative to contact and provide a statement or quote that can be included in a press release or designate a spokesperson who can field questions from the media about the case.

Can family or friends of a crime victim organize a campaign?

We recommend you contact the police agency leading the investigation and encourage them to contact a JusticeDrive representative so they can authenticate that you are a trusted representative of the victim or community and that you have expressed interest in organizing a campaign. Once the campaign has been launched, you can help spread the word about the campaign to attract donations.

Are campaign contributions tax-deductible?

JusticeDrive donations are made through GoFundMe.com and PayPal.com. Such contributions are generally considered to be personal gifts and are not guaranteed to be tax-deductible. If you have any questions, please consult your tax professional.

How do I get started?

Contact a JusticeDrive representative to request a case enrollment form and discuss your case to make sure it qualifies. Most cases that involve a violent crime will qualify. One you've received verbal confirmation that your case qualifies, the next step isfor you to develop a budget that reflects the costs for the investigative tools and methods you'd like to secure or use. Next, develop a succinct case summary that can be posted publicly and provide your JusticeDrive representative some innocuous, but eye-catching images about your case or agency that can be displayed on a public website. Send your completed case enrollment form and images to your JusticeDrive representative.