DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel
Minutes of the Meeting of March 22, 2016
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; Janet Ainsworth, DESPP-Legal; Michael Aiello, Judicial Branch, Court Services Support Division (CSSD); Elizabeth Tuyie, Department of Correction (DOC); and Michael Gailor, Office of the Chief State's Attorney (OCSA).
The minutes of the meeting of January 12, 2016, were unanimously approved.
The lab reported that as of March 21, 2016, approximately 112,952 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the lab. Of these samples, 104,699 have been profiled and reside in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Approximately 277 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 approximately thirty days.
There are 8,914 profiles in the Forensic Index. Five hundred ninety incomplete cases are assigned to DNA and 253 are assigned to Forensic Biology. The lab noted that forensic samples are being submitted to the lab at approximately the same rate as last year.
The lab reported that 3,560 investigations have been aided so far based on 3,556 confirmed hits. Approximately 80 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is approximately ten days.
A software update at the lab was completed. The lab reported that the National DNA Index System (NDIS) is going to be lowering the number of loci required for a forensic sample to be entered into the national database from ten to eight. The lab is reviewing cases to determine how many additional cases this will cause to be added to the national database.
The lab reported that validation projects that were noted at the last meeting are still ongoing.
The Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division reported that from October 2015 to December 2015, they scheduled 448 appointments to obtain DNA samples and that they were able to collect 420 samples. CSSD reported that 122 individuals needed to submit DNA samples in connection with non-probation cases. CSSD sent 8 memos to the Department of Correction asking them to collect samples and submitted 42 new warrants for the refusal to submit to the taking of a DNA sample to the State Police. CSSD reported that in 2015 they scheduled 1,877 appointments to obtain DNA samples, collected 1,866 samples, needed to collect 460 samples in non-probation cases, sent 71 memos to collect to the DOC, and submitted 65 warrants to the state police. CSSD reported that it is still working with the Department of Correction to make sure that its record of purges is up to date.
The Department of Correction reported that they obtained 464 new samples in the year to date and that 134 inmates have refused to provide a sample. They noted that they currently have a shortage of kits but have obtained some from CSSD to tide them over until new kits arrive.
The Committee went into executive session at 10:11 a.m. At 10:24 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 3/22/16-A will be purged.
- Sample 3/22/16-B will be moved to a non-searching status until further information is obtained.
- Action on sample 3/22/16-C will be tabled until the next meeting.
- Action on sample 6/9/15-D will be tabled until the next meeting.
- Sample 6/9/15-E will not be purged.
At 10:26, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee was scheduled for June 14, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. at the Forensic Science Laboratory.