New Communication Tool: Regular Updates

Greetings from the DNA Sample Collections Project Office. This is the first of a regular series of updates designed to help keep all our partners informed of the latest developments with the project and the DNA Data Bank. These updates will be distributed electronically, in WordPerfect and Word formats, to our list of regular contacts. Please feel free to forward them to other audiences as you wish. We will alternate these updates with the video conferences. Our goal is to have some form of regular communication with all of you, approximately every six weeks.

Your Input Requested

We welcome your input for these updates. Please send us your questions, comments, interesting cases, and any other material that you would like to share with your DNA colleagues.

Statistics

As of November 6, 2000, the Data Bank had received a total of 1862 samples.

• Retroactive samples : 130
• Retrospective samples : 1267
• Prospective samples : 465
  
• Samples rejected : 49
  
  
• DNA Profiles in crime scene index : 658

Rejected Samples

Very few samples have been rejected by the Data Bank so far. Those samples that have been rejected have largely been due to administrative errors, not the quality of the sample. The most common errors are:

1. Fingerprints not included on back of card (50% of total rejections!)
2. Bar codes mixed up
3. Incorrect order form from judge
4. Training kit used for actual sample collection
5. Sample collected for non-qualifying offence

While most of these errors can be successfully resolved, it is a time-consuming process. Please take care when processing DNA samples - the paperwork counts! Take heart, however. When the national DNA data bank first opened in Britain, they had a sample rejection rate of more than 36%. Our rejection rate is currently less than 3%.

Retroactive Collections

Some concern has been expressed about the speed at which Retroactive sample requests are being processed by HQ. We have identified approximately 2100 convicted offenders across country who may qualify for Retroactive DNA sample orders. It takes about 1½ days of staff time to process the Form 44 and related documentation for each request. We have brought in some additional resources to help us keep up with the demand, and are now able to process about five per day. We currently have approximately 700 "active" Form 44 packages. This means they are in process, out in the field, or the samples have already been taken and sent to the Data Bank. At this rate we expect to meet our original target completion date of September 2002.

Retroactive sample collection order requests will continue to be processed a ccording to warrant expiry dates, with an emphasis on statutory release dates. Our goal remains to collect as many retroactive samples as possible before the affected offenders are released into the community.

Crime Scene Index

A national policy on what kind of DNA samples will be eligible for inclusion in the Crime Scene Index is in progress, and should be released by the end of the year. The policy will take into account the anticipated review of the legislation within the next five years.

Legal Challenges

Please keep us informed of any legal challenges to the collection process which may arise in your area. At last count (mid-September) we knew of at least seven challenges across the country.

Tracking DNA Profiles on CPIC

You can now query CPIC to see if a convicted offender has an existing DNA profile in the Data Bank. Under the CNI category, enter the offender's name and DOB. If a successful profile has been obtained and filed, the following notice will appear: DNA ON KNOWN OFFENDER DATA BANK.

CPIC Bulletins

We are investigating the possibility of posting notice of unfulfilled retroactive DNA sample orders on offender records in CPIC. This would alert an arresting police force that a sample collection order is in effect, and facilitate an investigating police force's tracking of the file. We will keep you informed as more details become available.

Next Update and National DNA Video Conference

The next DNA update will be distributed the week of December 18, 2000. Deadline for submissions is December 4, 2000. The next National DNA Video Conference is tentatively scheduled for February 6th, 2001 at 11:30 EST. More details will be available soon.

BACK TO UPDATES