Attorney
General Mike DeWine
BCI
makes 10,000th criminal
DNA match
(LONDON,
Ohio) – Today Ohio
Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that scientists with the Ohio
Bureau of
Criminal Investigation (BCI) made their 10,000th DNA match, linking a
suspected
criminal to the scene of a crime. The DNA profile connected a suspect
to a
Columbus burglary case.
Experts
at BCI have been adding DNA profiles to the national Combined DNA Index
System (CODIS) since 2001. The computer database then
compares the new
profile to others already entered into the system.
"This
10,000th DNA match is a major milestone," said Attorney General
DeWine. "Our forensic scientists at BCI work on a daily basis
to
extract DNA from crime scene evidence and DNA swabs from criminal
suspects. To be successful in not only finding and extracting
that DNA,
but matching it 10,000 times is something to be proud of. "
The
number of CODIS matches has increased significantly since the inception
of
Senate Bill 77, which allows law enforcement to take a DNA swab from
suspects
who have been arrested on felony charges. Prior laws only
allowed
officers to collect DNA after a suspect was convicted.
BCI scientists have processed more than 422,000 DNA samples from
convicted offenders,
more than 49,000 samples from felony arrestees, and more than 14,000
samples
found on crime scene evidence. Samples remain in CODIS
indefinitely.
"BCI's scientists have helped local law enforcement identify serial
criminals and cold case criminals, and even exonerate suspected
criminals whose
DNA did not match evidence found at a crime scene," said Attorney
General
DeWine.
Every month, there are on average 140 CODIS "hits" linking DNA left
at a crime scene to a known suspect in Ohio or another
state.
The service is free for every law enforcement agency in Ohio.
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