DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel
Minutes of the Meeting of September 13, 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 Carll Ladd, DESPP-Forensic Lab, Patricia Johannes, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Megan Olt, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Cheryl Carreiro, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Janet Ainsworth, DESPP- Legal; Michael Aiello, Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division (CSSD); Regina Hebert, CSSD; Robert Dearington, Office of the Attorney General; Darcy McGraw, CT Innocence Project; Beth Merkin, Office of the Public Defender; and Michael Gailor, Office of the Chief State's Attorney (OCSA).
The minutes of the meeting on March 22, 2016, were unanimously approved. After the minutes of June 14, 2016, were amended to reflect that Darcy McGraw was present, they were unanimously approved.
The lab reported that as of August 31, 2016, approximately 114,475 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the lab. Of these samples, 107,228 have been profiled and reside in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Approximately 468 convicted offender samples are waiting to be processed/entered into CODIS. The number of samples waiting to be processed has increased since the last meeting because the lab has stopped processing the samples until validation of new kits and training of personnel in the use of those kits is completed.
There are 9,586 profiles in the Forensic Index. One thousand two hundred eighty-seven incomplete cases are assigned to DNA and 576 are assigned to Forensic Biology. The lab noted that the rate at which forensic samples are being submitted to the lab has increased.
The lab reported that 3,853 investigations have been aided so far based on 3,850 confirmed hits. Approximately 24 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is approximately twelve days.
The lab reported that validation studies related to the use of kits designed to collect information at 23 loci have been completed and that the staff is being trained in the use of those kits. The kits should be in use by October 1, 2016. The software associated with the new kits should allow the lab to process the samples quicker than they were before.
Michael Aiello from the Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division (CSSD) introduced Regina Hebert who will be working on issues related to the databank. Judicial is in the process of updating its statistics and will forward those to the committee in the next few days.
The Department of Correction representative could not be present but sent in a report that indicates that they have collected 539 new samples since June 14, 2016, and 1,088 in the year to date. The DOC also reported that 131 inmates have refused to provide a sample.
At 10:12, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee was scheduled for December 13, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. at the Forensic Science Laboratory.