DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel

Minutes of the Meeting of October 20, 2015
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) 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; Antoinette Webster, DESPP- Legal; Bryan Griggs, Department of Correction (DOC); Joseph Lopez, Office of the Public Defender; and Michael Gailor, Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.

The minutes of the meeting of June 9, 2015, were unanimously approved.

On behalf of the laboratory, Ms. Johannes reported that as of September 30, 2015, approximately 111,083 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the lab. Of these samples, 103,822 have been profiled and reside in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Approximately 568 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 35-45 days.

There are 8,037 profiles in the Forensic Index. Four hundred thirty incomplete cases are assigned to DNA.

The lab reported that 3,263 investigations have been aided so far based on 3,237 confirmed hits. Approximately 35 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is approximately three weeks.

The lab reported that because the FBI-QAS audit done in May was less than six months after an internal audit it had to be done again. The second FBI-QAS audit resulted in no findings.

The lab is moving forward on the validation of a new STR kit that will include 23 loci. They expect the validation to be completed sometime next year and well before the end of 2016 when they are going to have to start using 23 loci.

The Department of Correction reported that they have collected 1584 samples in the year to date. Approximately 235 inmates have refused to provide a sample.

The Committee went into executive session at 10:18 a.m. At 10:25 a.m. the Committee came out of executive session. As a result of discussion during the executive session, the Committee voted to purge sample 10/20-A once it has been confirmed that the conviction resulting in the taking of the sample was reversed, the charges against the individual were dismissed, and the individual has not obtained any other qualifying convictions.

At 10:28, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee was scheduled for January 12, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. at the Forensic Science Laboratory.