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The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) presented a webcast for governors' policy advisors on the use of forensic DNA in solving high-volume crime. This webcast, made possible through a partnership with the US Department of Justice National Institute of Justice (NIJ), highlighted the results from an NIJ-funded study examining the effectiveness of collecting DNA in high-volume crimes (e.g., burglary, auto theft, etc.). Through this study, biological evidence was collected from more than 500 crime scenes in each of five sites between November 2005 and July 2007. Among the results of the study:

• Property crime cases where DNA evidence is processed have more than twice as many suspects identified, twice as many suspects arrested, and more than twice as many cases accepted for prosecution compared with traditional investigation;
• DNA is at least five times more likely to result in suspect identification than fingerprints;
• Suspects identified by DNA had at least twice as many prior felony arrests and convictions as those identified by traditional investigation; and
• Blood evidence results in better case outcomes than other biological evidence, particularly evidence from items that were handled or touched.

While these results are impressive, what are the policy and practical implications for state and local law enforcement for moving toward collection of DNA in high-volume crime? What is the potential impact for state and local labs? Given the budget crisis facing states and localities, can the increasing demand for DNA even be met? A recent report from the National Research Council, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States, points to "serious deficiencies in the nation's forensic science system." What impact will these findings have on state forensic science services? This webcast will provide an overview and discussion of these issues, as well as new funding opportunities available through NIJ for state and local labs to enhance their DNA initiatives.

Speakers' Biographies (pdf)

• Katharine Browning, Ph.D., Senior Social Science Analyst, National Institute of Justice

• John K. Roman, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center
  Presentation

• Commander Harlan Ward, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles, California

• Peter Marone, Director, Virginia Department of Forensic Science

Helpful Resources/Links:

• The DNA Field Experiment: Cost Effectiveness Analysis and the use of DNA in the Investigation of High Volume CrimeThis study by the Urban Institute compared traditional crime solving to biological evidence techniques in hundreds of cases where biological evidence was available. When conventional investigative techniques were used, a suspect was identified 12 percent of the time, compared to 31 percent of the cases using DNA evidence. A suspect was arrested in 8 percent of cases built on traditional evidence, compared to the 16 percent arrest rate in DNA cases. The average added cost for processing a single case with DNA evidence was about $1,397. Each additional arrest—an arrest that would not have occurred without DNA processing—costs $14,169.

• USA Today Article: The DNA Field Experiment
• Slideshow: LAPD results from the National Institute of Justice DNA Burglary Project
• United Kingdom Police Manual for Investigation of Volume Crime

• Effectiveness and Cost Efficiency of DNA Evidence in Volume Crime: Denver Colorado Site Summary
  This study was principally concerned with evaluating the effectiveness of DNA analysis in property crimes in Denver and the resulting cost efficiencies realized. It is possible that the use of advanced forensics, like DNA testing, may offer the greatest impact on reducing the number of property crimes, but it may not necessarily be the most cost effective use of available financial resources.

• The Denver DNA Burglary Project
  The Denver Police Department responds to more than 7,500 burglary cases every year. Prior to the Burglary DNA Project, property crimes had increased by about 5% annually. The National Institute of Justice helped fund Denver’s pilot program, the DNA Burglary Project, in November of 2005. Through this grant, 510 burglary cases with viable biological material were identified during the grant period, resulting in 182 criminal cases being filed. Because of the Burglary DNA Project, more than 95 prolific burglars in the Denver area were caught and convicted. The burglary rate in Denver dropped 26% and the sentences resulting from convictions in DNA evidence burglary cases resulted in an average 14-year prison term.

• NIJ Special Report: Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases
  This 2002 report from the National Institute of Justiceintended for use by law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals who have the responsibility for reviewing and investigating unsolved cases. This report will provide basic information to assist agencies in the complex process of case review with a specific emphasis on using DNA evidence to solve previously unsolvable crimes. Although DNA is not the only forensic tool that can be valuable to unsolved case investigations, advancements in DNA technology and the success of DNA database systems have inspired law enforcement agencies throughout the country to reevaluate cold cases for DNA evidence. As law enforcement professionals progress through investigations, however, they should keep in mind the array of other technology advancements, such as improved ballistics and fingerprint databases, which may substantially advance a case beyond its original level.