MEDIA ADVISORY
December 6, 2006
DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S CRIME LAB
A STATE DNA LEADER
According to statistics recently released by the
California Department of Justice, the Sacramento County District
Attorney’s Crime Laboratory accounts for 14% of all hits to the Combined
DNA Index System (CODIS) in California. The District Attorney’s Crime
Laboratory had the second highest number of CODIS hits in the state,
second only to the Department of Justice Laboratory in Richmond, which
receives samples from 12 smaller Department of Justice labs throughout
the state. CODIS combines forensic science and computer technology into
an effective tool for solving violent crimes. CODIS enables federal,
state, and local crime labs to exchange and compare DNA profiles
electronically, thereby linking crimes to each other, with the goal of
identifying the perpetrator.
The District Attorney’s successful hit rate is due in part to the
California Cold Hit Grant program, a three year state funded grant which
allowed the Crime Lab to develop DNA profiles on a large number of
unsolved sexual assault and homicide cases. Also significant is the
passage and implementation of Proposition 69, the initiative passed by
voters in November of 2004 which requires all convicted felony offenders
to provide a DNA sample for inclusion into the statewide database.
Proposition 69 has increased the number of offenders in the database,
presently in excess of 650,000 people, thus increasing the number of
hits. The success of the District Attorney’s Crime Laboratory is also a
reflection on the excellent job our local law enforcement agencies have
done in collecting, preserving and maintaining case evidence in unsolved
cases, thus making available a large number of samples for DNA analysis.
The District Attorney’s Crime Laboratory began DNA analysis in December
of 1997. Since that time over 40,000 evidentiary samples have been
subjected to DNA analysis. The DNA Unit currently has 9 qualified DNA
analysts performing casework on both current cases (sexual assaults,
homicides, burglaries, robberies) and unsolved cold cases (typically
sexual assault and homicide cases.)
Contact:
Lana Wyant, Special Assistant Deputy District Attorney
(916)874-5907