DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel June 9 2015

DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel

Minutes of Meeting of June 9, 2015
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Forensic Science Laboratory
Meriden, Connecticut

The meeting convened at 9:37 a.m.Present at the meeting were Carll Ladd, DESPP-Forensic Lab, Patricia Johannes, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Dahong Sun, DESPP- Forensic Lab; Megan Olt, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Antoinette Webster, DESPP- Legal (by phone); Matthew Garcia, DESPP; Michael Aiello, Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division; Bryan Griggs, Department of Correction; Andrea Reischerl; Beth Merkin, Office of the Public Defender; and Michael Gailor, Office of the Chief State's Attorney.

The minutes of the meeting of March 10, 2015 were unanimously approved.

On behalf of the laboratory, Ms. Johannes reported that as of June 1, 2015, approximately 107,492 convicted offender samples (the number has not been corrected for duplicates) have been submitted to the lab. Of these samples, 102,537 (up 1,127 from the last report) have been profiled and reside in CODIS. Approximately 338 convicted offender samples are waiting to be processed/entered into CODIS. The average time it takes for a convicted offender profile to be entered into the database after being received at the lab is less than thirty days.

There are 7,467 profiles in the Forensic Index. Two hundred eighty-eight incomplete cases are assigned to DNA.

The lab reported that 3,115 investigations have been aided so far based on 3,089 confirmed hits. Approximately 8 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is approximately one week.

The lab reported that a recent FBI-QAS audit of the lab resulted in only one minor finding. The issue, failure to document maintenance on a robot, has already been addressed by the lab. The lab is awaiting word from the FBI whether their response to the issue is satisfactory.

The lab reported that validation of the new loci that the lab is going to be required to include in offender profiles has been delayed awaiting the liberation of some grant money. Now that the money has been freed up the validation is moving forward. The lab expects to have the validation done later this year, well ahead of the time the use of the new loci will be required.

The lab further reported that states with arrestee laws are taking steps toward putting rapid DNA technology in booking stations where samples can be taken at the time of arrest so that they can be compared against the CODIS databank. It was noted that Connecticut does not have a true arrestee law at this time.

The Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division (CSSD) reported that from January 2015 to March 2015, they scheduled 470 appointments to obtain DNA samples and that they were able to collect 453 samples. CSSD reported that 115 individuals needed to submit DNA samples in connection with non-probation cases. CSSD sent 18 memos to the Department of Correction asking them to collect samples and submitted 14 new warrants for the refusal to submit to the taking of a DNA sample to the State Police. CSSD reported that they have added additional sites at which they will collect samples. CSSD also reported that it has been working with the Department of Correction to make sure that its record of purges is up to date.

Matthew Garcia, DESPP, Sex Offender Registry Unit, reported that since January 1, 2015, they have collected 166 samples and have executed 7 warrants. They anticipate have another 90 warrants ready for service within a short time and have another 60 cases under review.

The Department of Correction reported that they obtained 624 new samples since the last meeting and 1,045 in the year to date. The number of inmates who have refused to provide a sample is 244.

The Committee went into executive session at 10:07 a.m. At 10:41 a.m. the Committee came out of executive session. As a result of discussion during the executive session, the following actions will be taken:

Sample 6/9/15-A will be purged upon receipt by lab of documentation that offender’s conviction was reversed.
Sample 6/9/15-B will be purged.
Sample 6/9/15-C will be purged.
Sample 6/9/15-D will not be purged.
Sample 6/9/15-E will not be purged.
Sample 6/9/15-F will be purged.
Sample 6/9/15-G – no action will be taken at this time.
Sample 6/9/15-H will be purged.
Sample 6/9/15-I will be purged.

At 10:42, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee was scheduled for September 29, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. at the Forensic Science Laboratory.