DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel
Minutes of the Meeting of June 12, 2018
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Forensic Science Laboratory
Meriden, Connecticut
The meeting convened at 9:40 a.m. Present at the meeting were Carll Ladd, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP)-Forensic Lab, Kristin Sasinouski, DESPP-Lab; Megan Olt, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Janet Ainsworth, DESPP-Legal; Regina Hebert, Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division (CSSD); Robert Dearington, Office of the Attorney General; Elizabeth Tugie, Department of Correction (DOC); David Maiga, Department of Correction; Darcy McGraw, Connecticut Innocence Project; and Michael Gailor, Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.
The minutes of the meeting of March 27, 2018, were unanimously approved.
The lab reported that as of June 12, 2018, a total of 121,506 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the lab; 717 were submitted between March 26 and June 12 of this year. Of these samples, 6,792 were determined to be duplicate submissions. One hundred thirteen thousand six hundred seventy-one have been profiled and reside in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Eight hundred convicted offender samples are waiting to be processed/entered into CODIS.
There are 12,261 profiles in the Forensic Index. One thousand seven hundred seventy-seven incomplete cases are assigned to DNA and 805 are assigned to Forensic Biology.
The lab reported that 5,063 investigations have been aided so far by 5,075 confirmed hits. Approximately 67 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is eleven days.
The lab reported that it will be upgrading its CODIS software within the next three to four weeks. The state data bank administrator advised the committee of two significant developments: (1) federal law has been changed to allow the entry of DNA profiles obtained by law enforcement authorities through the use of Rapid DNA technology into the CODIS system; and, (2) familial searches can be conducted with the current CODIS software. The technical leader reported that both the databank and casework sections of the DNA unit underwent a FBI Quality Assurance System (QAS) audit and received a clean bill of health.
The Judicial Department reported that from January through March 2018, it sent 352 letters scheduling the collection of DNA samples to individuals who had been sentenced to a period of probation and collected 342 samples from individuals on probation. During that period of time, 178 people were convicted of qualifying offenses but were not sentenced to periods of probation. Of that number 83 or 46.6 percent needed to provide DNA samples. The Judicial Department sent five memos to the Department of Correction seeking their assistance in collecting DNA samples and eight warrants to the State Police.
The Department of Correction reported that it has 382 samples from inmates since the last meeting and 762 in the year to date. Currently, 123 inmates have refused to provide a sample in violation of the statutes.
The next meeting of the Oversight Committee is scheduled for September 11, 2018.
At 10:09 a.m., the meeting was adjourned.