DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel

Minutes of the Meeting of March 28, 2016
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Forensic Science Laboratory
Meriden, Connecticut

The meeting convened at 9:35 a.m. Present at the meeting were Dahong Sun, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP)-Forensic Lab; Carll Ladd, DESPP-Forensic Lab, Patricia Johannes, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Megan Olt, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Regina Hebert, Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division (CSSD); Robert Dearington, Office of the Attorney General; Elizabeth Tugie, Department of Correction; Mark Roberts, DESPP and Michael Gailor, OCSA.

The minutes of the meeting on December 13, 2016, were unanimously approved.   

The lab reported that as of March 24, 2017, approximately 116,973 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the lab. Of these samples, 109,465 have been profiled and reside in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Approximately 610 convicted offender samples are waiting to be processed/entered into CODIS. 

There are 10,499 profiles in the Forensic Index. One thousand seven hundred thirty incomplete cases are assigned to DNA and three hundred seventy-two are assigned to Forensic Biology.  

The lab reported that 4,231 investigations have been aided so far by 4,240 confirmed hits. Approximately 47 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is approximately fifteen days. 

The lab reported that validation studies of STR-mix have been completed and the lab is currently using the software for casework.    

The Judicial Branch reported that from October 2016 through December 2016, it sent 303 letters scheduling the collection of DNA samples to individuals who had been sentenced to a period of probation and that during that period of time it collected 378 samples from individuals on probation. It also reported that during the same time period 189 people were convicted of qualifying offenses but were not sentenced to periods of probation. Of that number 72, or 38 percent, needed to provide DNA samples. The Judicial Department sent 18 memos to the Department of Correction seeking their assistance in collecting DNA samples. 

During the 2016 fiscal year, the Judicial Branch sent out 1,518 letters to persons sentenced to periods of probation and collected samples from 1,629 samples from persons on probation. Three hundred fifty-three of the 930 persons who received sentences for qualifying offenses that did not involve probation were required to submit to the taking of a sample. During the fiscal year, the Judicial Branch sent 67 letters to the Department of Correction seeking its assistance in collecting samples.   

The Department of Correction reported that it has collected 503 new samples since the first of the year. The DOC also reported that draws are pending from 233 inmates and that 135 inmates have refused to provide a sample in violation of the statutes.

The Sex Offender Registration Unit of DESPP reported that 93 new sex offenders and 103 deadly weapon offenders registered between January 1 and March 27, 2017. The sex offender registry obtained samples from 33 sex offenders, 1 felony offender, and 5 deadly weapon offenders. 

Upon motion that was seconded and unanimously approved, the Committee went into executive session at 10:03 a.m. The Committee came out of executive session at 10:13 a.m.  As a result of the discussions in executive session the following is reported:

• Sample 12/13/16-C should remain in the database.
• Sample 12/13/16-D should remain in the database.
• Sample 1/12/16-A has been successfully purged from the database.
• Sample 12/13/16-B was not provided to the laboratory and, thus, was not entered into the database.
• Sample 3/22/16-A – the status of this sample will be further investigated.
• Sample 3/28/17-A – the status of this sample will be further investigated.
• Sample 3/28/17-B – the status of this sample will be further investigated. 

At 10:15 a.m., the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee was scheduled for June 13, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. at the Forensic Science Laboratory.