“I asked one of my scientists why she was leaving and she said she could give me 17,000 reasons,” said Unger. “I didn’t ask her for her salary (increase), but I think she’d just told me.” For more than a year and a half, low wages hobbled the DNA wing of the Montana crime lab. The DNA section shut down entirely for a time two years ago after it lost so many staff, the lone remaining employee couldn’t process DNA evidence from Montana crime scenes. Wages were so low, the lab didn’t attract a single qualified person to fill the vacancies after several national searches.
By Jennifer McKee of The Standard State Bureau
Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2007/10/22/state_top/20071022_state_top.txt