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ALBANY
County pursues DNA samples
Letters sent to offenders required to comply as part of plea deals
BY JILL BRYCE Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Jill Bryce at 432-4391 or jbryce@dailygazette.net.

    DNA has been called the fingerprint of the 21st century and on Tuesday the district attorney and local police announced new initiatives to improve DNA collection rates from convicted offenders in Albany County.
    A task force was recently formed through the courts and local police, and letters were sent to individuals throughout the county who owed DNA samples as part of a plea deal or court agreement. The letter asked them to comply and provide a DNA sample.
    Approximately 50 percent did so and the compliance rate in Albany County increased from 71 to 88 percent in the last couple months
    Yet, about 56 people in Albany County still have not provided a DNA sample as required by law.
    The requirements have changed since June of last year when new state laws were passed that require 46 percent of penal law convictions to submit DNA samples for inclusion in the state’s databank including all felonies and 30 percent of misdemeanors.
    In addition to the obvious charges of murder or rape, other crimes that now require the offender provide a DNA sample include forcible touching, petty larceny, attempted stalking and second-degree criminal trespass.
    This dramatic increase provides police with a better opportunity to solve and prevent crime, but it also means more individuals have to provide DNA samples.
    “The goal in Albany County is 100 percent compliance,” said District Attorney P. David Soares, who is running for re-election this year.
    During a press conference on Tuesday at the Albany Judicial Center he said police agencies will be sending out another round of letters to offenders to try to increase compliance rates.
    Police in Albany, Cohoes, Colonie and the Albany County Sheriff’s Department are taking part in the initiative.
    Any individual who is required to provide DNA has until May 10 to give a sample.
    If the offender fails to meet the May 10 deadline, he can go to the Albany Judicial Center May 10 to provide a DNA sample, which is taken by swabbing the inside of the individual’s cheek.
    A DNA sample can be developed from small amounts of material and profiles can be submitted to the DNA databank to determine whether a match exists against a convicted offender profile or against evidence from another unsolved crime.
    The primary function of the DNA Databank is to maintain DNA profiles of convicted offenders that can be used by law enforcement to identify a perpetrator of a crime when DNA evidence is retrieved from a crime scene.
    Recent studies by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services show that on average, offenders linked to crimes using the state’s DNA Databank had approximately 11 prior arrests and five prior convictions.
    In addition, criminals don’t specialize in the type of crimes they commit; 83 percent of offenders linked to sexual assault cases were in the state’s DNA databank for a crime other than a sex-related offense, according to the DCJS.
    Soares’ spokeswoman, Heather Orth, said if someone is legally required to give DNA as part of an agreement with the court he or she must provide it.
    “If the individual does not do this, the disposition of the case could be changed because the person failed to meet legal requirements,” she said.
    And for those offenders in Albany County who refuse to comply by the May 10 deadline? Police and the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force will go their homes, said Soares.

This will make it too easy for those folks who negotiate with their kids to just throw their hands up in the air and say,"dont worry the government will take care of you when you choose a stupid path, DNA and all."...... here is our new 'protector',,,,,,I wonder how this will fit......

who/what made DNA????

Quoted from senders

who/what made DNA????

GOD!!