Five States Participating in Forensic DNA Initiative
Florida, Kentucky, New York, Ohio and Washington will contribute to the initiative, known as the Improving Forensic DNA Policy Project.
DNA can be key evidence in crime solving and identifying criminals, but the NGA Center asserts that its full potential remains unrealized and that many unanalyzed DNA samples currently sit dormant in crime labs across the country.
According to the NGA Center, federal funds currently supporting lab operations expire in 2009, and new funding sources will need to be identified.
“Governors recognize that improving DNA forensics goes hand in hand with improving public safety,” NGA Center John Thomasian said. “Expanding DNA analysis can help solve violent crimes and bring closure to missing-person cases.”
As part of the project, state teams comprised of representatives from governors’ offices, crime labs, law enforcement, state legislatures, state justice agencies and prosecutors’ and public defenders’ offices will participate in activities designed to help develop state policies to strengthen and improve existing forensic DNA programs, including:
- Expanding DNA databases to include the collection of evidence from high-volume crimes.
- Adding missing persons and unidentified human remains to DNA databases.
- Developing sustainable sources of funding for existing forensic DNA programs.
According to the NGA Center, the teams will attend a learning lab and an in-state policy workshop and receive customized technical assistance from the NGA Center and National Institute of Justice experts over the course of a year.