DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel
Minutes of meeting of March 13, 2019
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Forensic Science Laboratory
Meriden, Connecticut
The meeting convened at 9:38 a.m. Present at the meeting were Patricia Johannes, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Megan Olt, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Carll Ladd, DESPP-Forensic Lab; Elizabeth Tugie, Department of Correction; David Maiga, Department of Correction; Joseph Lopez, Office of the Public Defender; Michael Aiello, Judicial; Scott Caroon, DESPP Sexual Offender Registry Unit; and Michael Gailor, Division of Criminal Justice.
The minutes of the meeting on September 17, 2018, were unanimously approved. It was agreed that the minutes should reflect that the December meeting of the Oversight Panel was canceled because of the inability to get a quorum.
The lab reported that as of March 1, 2019, a total of 124,147 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the lab; 749 have been submitted since December 1, 2018. Of these samples, 6929 were determined to be duplicate submissions. One hundred sixteen thousand three hundred sixteen have been profiled and reside in CODIS. Six hundred eleven convicted offender samples are waiting to be processed/entered into CODIS.
There are 13,320 profiles in the Forensic Index. One thousand eight hundred eighty-six incomplete cases are assigned to DNA and 1,112 are assigned to Forensic Biology.
The lab reported that 5,628 investigations have been aided so far by 5,657 confirmed hits. Approximately 109 candidate matches are under evaluation. The average time it takes to send out notification of the hit once it has been obtained is sixteen days.
The Judicial Department reported that from October through December 2018, it sent 548 initial and warning letters to individuals to remind them of their obligation to provide DNA samples. They collected 344 samples. In 200 cases where probation was not imposed, Judicial sent letters to 92 individuals in an attempt to collect samples. Because some individuals had provided samples previously, judicial determined that only 69 needed to provide samples. Judicial sent 10 memoranda to the Department of Corrections advising them of the need to collect samples and sought 9 warrants for the failure of individuals to provide samples.
For the fiscal year of 2018, Judicial sent 2,212 letters overall and collected 1,345 samples. They sought 50 warrants for the failure of individuals to provide samples.
The Department of Correction reported that it has collected 408 samples from inmates in the year to date. Currently, 113 inmates have refused to provide a sample in violation of the statutes.
The Sexual Offender Registry Unit reported that since October 1, 2018, it has registered 142 new offenders while the Deadly Weapon Offender Registration Unit registered 236 offenders. Samples were collected from 65 sex offenders and 6 persons who registered with the Deadly Weapon Registry. The Unit submitted 25 warrants for individuals who failed to provide samples.
At 10:28 a.m. the Oversight Committee went into executive session until 11:03 a.m.. As a result of the discussion in executive session, the Panel took the following actions:
Sample 3/13-1 Ordered disposed.
Sample 3/13-2 Ordered disposed. A new sample will be requested.
Sample 3/13-3 Ordered disposed.
Sample 3/13-4 Ordered disposed.
Sample 3/13-5 Ordered disposed.
Sample 3/13-6 Ordered disposed. A new sample will be requested.
Sample 3/13-7 A new sample will be obtained.
Sample 3/13-8 A new sample will be obtained.
Sample 3/13-9 A new sample will be obtained.
Sample 3/13-10 The sample will be analyzed.
Sample 3/13-11 The first submission will be disposed and the second tested.
Sample 3/13-12 Ordered disposed. A new sample will be requested.
Sample 3/13-13 Ordered purged.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:04 a.m. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee is scheduled for June 12, 2019.