FORENSIC DNA ASSESSMENT

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FORENSIC DNA ASSESSMENT
Attorney General's Initiative on DNA Laboratory
Backlog Working Group Meeting October 21 22
Washington, DC
Presented by Smith Alling Lane, P.S. Tacoma, WA
[phone] Washington, DC (202)
258-2301 London 011 (44) 798 953 8386 Tim
Schellberg, J.D. tims_at_smithallinglane.com Lisa
Hurst lhurst_at_smithallinglane.com
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The Next Five Years Goals for DNA Advocates

• 1. All felons databases in all but a few states
• 2. Casework backlogs cleared
• 3. Routine casework at all relevant crime scene

State legislators State agencies responsible for
crime labs Congress US Department of
Justice Law enforcement City and County
government
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Policy Makers Want DATA, FACTS, NUMBERS...

• Four questions policy makers want answered
• 1. What does passing DNA database expansion
  legislation do to the odds of solving a
  particular crime?

2. With funding to complete all DNA casework
(past, current, future) how many crimes will be
solved? This would include an assessment of how
many untested rape kits exist.
3. How many crimes, particularly rapes and
homicides, could be prevented if database
legislation is passed and all casework (past,
current, future) is completed?
4. Will expanded databases and casework funding
create financial efficiencies for the criminal
justice system? What are the anticipated savings?
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Forensic DNA Assessment Project

• NIJ has awarded a grant to Smith Alling Lane,
  working in partnership with Washington State
  University, to answer these questions.
• Assessment questionnaire will be sent to
• state labs
• local labs
• local law enforcement agencies
• All agencies with 100 or more officers
  (approximately 1000).
• A statistically valid sampling of remaining
  agencies (approximately 2000).
• Indian tribes

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TIMELINE

• Assessment tool will be mailed on November 1,
  2002.
• Preliminary report to NIJ by the end of January
  2003 (in time for congressional budgets).
• Report updates every two months until report is
  finalized (targeted at June 2003).

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STATUS

• Assessment is in final review. Reviewers
  include
• National Institute of Justice
• Washington State University
• State Laboratory representatives
• Local Laboratory representatives
• Local Agency representatives

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ENSURING RESULTS

• Assessment mailing will include two follow-up
  mailings to all non-respondents
• Personal calls will be made to all forensic labs
• identification of respondent designee
• Personal calls will be made to all local agencies
  with more than 100 officers
• identification of respondent designee
• coordination between units, as necessary
• Personal calls will be made to remaining local
  agencies, as time permits.

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THE PROJECT GOAL IS NOT

• to obtain a statistical survey of laboratory
  backlogs
• to complete a census of the untested DNA
  evidence at every local law enforcement agency in
  the country

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THE PROJECT GOAL IS

• to provide a general assessment of the use of
  forensic DNA by law enforcement
• to give a base from which extrapolations may be
  made projecting the national DNA backlog
• to educate on the importance of expanded,
  operational forensic DNA programs and databases

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• QUESTION 1 What does passing DNA database
  expansion legislation do to the odds of solving a
  particular crime?
• Extensive review of CODIS successes
• Types of crimes solved and types of offenders
  linked to crimes
• Criminal history of offenders
• Investigations aided
• Case studies, as needed
• Successes of Virginia and Florida
• New York data 75 of first 500 hits a result of
  1999 expansion.

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• QUESTION 2 With funding to complete all DNA
  casework (past, current, future) how many crimes
  will be solved?
• Assessment of backlog
• Rape kits, cold cases, property crimes
• Numbers from state labs, local labs and local
  agencies
• Analysis turn-around time
• Report on state of DNA casework
• Types and numbers of cases being analyzed
• Comparisons of success in all-felons states

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• QUESTION 3 How many crimes, particularly rapes
  and homicides, could be prevented if database
  legislation is passed and all casework (past,
  current, future) is completed?
• Crime rates and crime scene DNA collection rates
• Case studies
• Serial offenders with criminal histories
• Backlogs that delayed the identification of
  offenders
• Comparisons of success in all-felons states

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• QUESTION 4 Will expanded databases and casework
  funding create financial efficiencies for the
  criminal justice system? What are the anticipated
  savings?
• Forensic DNA needs of labs
• Historic funding levels from local, state,
  federal
• Case studies
• Identifying (or excluding) suspects quickly
• Prosecuting DNA cases

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YOUR QUESTIONS