Gov.
Blagojevich signs bill closing DNA legal loophole
Send a link to a friend
New law
requires DNA testing for those sentenced to life in prison, gives
law enforcement more information to address unsolved crimes
[JUNE 14, 2005]
SPRINGFIELD -- To aid investigators in solving
more crimes, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed legislation Monday that
requires DNA samples from all people in prison, including those who
have received life sentences or the death penalty. Since August of
2002, every felon has been required to submit a DNA sample after
sentencing, and every felon in Department of Corrections custody has
been required to submit a DNA sample prior to their release from
prison, but some of the state's most dangerous felons who were
already in state custody before August 2002 have not submitted
samples because they will not be released.
|
A person's DNA is a genetic fingerprint that can be used to
solve crimes when biological evidence is left at the scene.
"DNA is the most powerful forensic tool available to law
enforcement," Gov. Blagojevich said. "Before this legislation, some
of this state's most violent predators were not required to provide
DNA samples. By collecting samples from criminals on death row and
those serving life sentences, police may be able to solve crimes
that have languished for years and provide some closure to victims
and their families."
Sponsored by Sen. Iris Y. Martinez, D-Chicago, and Rep. William
Delgado, D-Chicago,
House Bill 992 requires newly admitted inmates sentenced to life
in prison or the death penalty to provide samples of blood, saliva
or tissue for the collection of DNA within 45 days after sentencing.
Inmates who have been sentenced to life in prison or the death
penalty prior to this bill being signed must produce samples of
blood, salvia or tissue for the collection of DNA upon request. The
bill is effective immediately.
"The bill helps to better serve and protect the citizens of
Illinois," Martinez said. "This bill ensures that all inmates must
now provide a DNA sample, which helps generate data on particular
profiles as well as assist law enforcement agencies to develop
investigative leads."
"The Illinois Department of Corrections is dedicated to
collecting DNA from all inmates, including those sentenced to life
and the death penalty," said Roger E. Walker Jr., Corrections
director. "This crucial law will help to determine if any
individuals are linked to or involved in an unsolved crime or
ongoing investigation."
The Department of Corrections reports that all six inmates on
death row have been DNA tested because they were sentenced after
August of 2002. Out of the 1,349 inmates serving life sentences, 208
have not been DNA tested but will be as a result of the new law.
Since August 2002, when an Illinois law went into effect that
required law enforcement officers to take DNA samples from every
convicted felon and sex offender, 93,929 felons have been DNA
tested.
[to top of second column in this article]
|
The Illinois State Police, which manages the state's database of DNA
profiles -- the Combined DNA Index System -- was a strong supporter
of the new law.
Over the past two years, the governor and the Illinois State
Police have taken steps to clear the DNA backlog so the results can
be used as soon as possible by investigators. In fiscal 2004, Gov.
Blagojevich directed $2.6 million to hire 13 new forensic scientists
and outsource existing samples for analysis while the new scientists
underwent training. In addition, six new DNA evidence technicians
were hired to assist with the DNA case backlog. The DNA labs also
secured three grants from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information
Authority and one from National Institute of Justice, for a total of
$1.7 million. The governor again allocated $2.67 million in fiscal
2005 to continue private work on the DNA backlog while 13 scientists
completed the final stages of training. In fiscal 2006, the state
will continue to fund the DNA testing program and continue to help
eliminate the backlog and keep pace with the influx of offender
samples.
In February of this year, the governor announced that the
Illinois State Police had reduced the DNA sample backlog to its
lowest level in more than five years. There were 158 cases awaiting
analysis, down from more than 1,100 cases the year before. The
reductions, which continue today, are a result of the
administration's efforts to secure both state revenue and federal
grant funding to speed up analysis of the cases in-house as well as
outsourcing to a private vendor. The Illinois State Police expects
to completely eliminate the backlog later this summer.
"Governor Blagojevich provided us with the funding necessary to
analyze thousands of samples previously backlogged within our crime
labs," said Larry Trent, Illinois State Police director.
"Investigators now have conclusive information to assist them in
solving open cases. In many instances, the information contained in
these DNA samples can provide an indelible link to criminals
attempting to elude authorities."
[News release from the governor's
office]
|