Can someone tell me what this may really mean?

[The Straight Story]

SEC. 312. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

H.R.5107
Justice for All Act of 2004 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)

(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of this title and title II and the amendments made by this title and title II.

(b) CONTENTS- The report submitted under subsection (a) shall include a description of--

(1) the progress made by Federal, State, and local entities in--

(A) collecting and entering DNA samples from offenders convicted of qualifying offenses for inclusion in the Combined DNA Index System (referred to in this subsection as `CODIS');

(B) analyzing samples from crime scenes, including evidence collected from sexual assaults and other serious violent crimes, and entering such DNA analyses in CODIS; and

(C) increasing the capacity of forensic laboratories to conduct DNA analyses;


---------------------

Trying not to read too much into this, but would B above also include keeping DNA collected from the victim (since it may well be a sample from the crime scene)? I don't think it was intended to mean that, but thesedays who the hell knows.

For now, I will guess it does not - but I wanted to get the valuable input from DU'ers.

[The Straight Story]

1. Maybe I found the answer....

SEC. 203. EXPANSION OF COMBINED DNA INDEX SYSTEM.

(a) INCLUSION OF ALL DNA SAMPLES FROM STATES- Section 210304 of the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14132) is amended--

(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking `of persons convicted of crimes;' and inserting the following: `of--

`(A) persons convicted of crimes;

`(B) persons who have been charged in an indictment or information with a crime; and

`(C) other persons whose DNA samples are collected under applicable legal authorities, provided that DNA profiles from arrestees who have not been charged in an indictment or information with a crime, and DNA samples that are voluntarily submitted solely for elimination purposes shall not be included in the National DNA Index System;'; and

But who knows....I think there were several systems mentioned they use for data. Still interesting at any rate.

[whistle]

2. Sure, why not, you never know when someone's DNA could come...

...in handy for solving other crimes, like with the evidence planted by LA police to nail O.J. Simpson.

[VivaKerry]

3. there is something like 100,000+ rape kits not processed

in this country....

The above seems to be the ONLY sensible thing I have seen come out of congress for 4 years!

We need those kits processed, and have the dna of the perpetrator in the system. They guy comes in for something else, you test his dna, plug that into the system, and lo and behold, you find a guy connected to rapes in 3 states over 10 years, that closely match his physical movement from the states.

Needs to be done...

[The Straight Story]

4. Not saying it dosen't, just wondering about

all the evidence, ie if the victim's DNA was collected in all this, will it be destroyed or sneaked into the registry somehow?

[VivaKerry]

5. That I do not know......

But a good question to ask.

[VivaKerry]

6. That I do not know......

But a good question to ask.