Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Legal Research Blogs -> New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Legal Research

: New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library

More States Permit DNA Testing of Crime Suspects

By David Badertscher, PLL

ADVERTISEMENTS

Source: Crime and Justice News, April 14, 2008.

"States are dramatically expanding DNA sampling beyond convicted felons to include suspects arrested for felonies before they are tried, says USA Today. Twelve states permit sampling for some or all felony arrests, up from five in 2006, says the National Conference of State Legislatures. Another 21 are considering such proposals, says DNAResource.com, which tracks DNA-related laws. Most of the laws call for destroying samples if suspects are acquitted or charges are dropped. After a sample is destroyed, the DNA cannot be matched to other crimes in the database."

"Civil liberties advocates protest that the testing amounts to a clumsy forensic dragnet. Beginning in July, South Dakota and Kansas will require all felony suspects to provide DNA samples. In January, California and North Dakota will do so. In California alone, that could double the number of state samples in the federal DNA data bank from 1 million to 2 million. The federal government is preparing to issue similar rules for taking samples from thousands of detainees in its custody, including suspected immigration violators."

USA Today

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on April 14, 2008 (boomark / email).