DNA in Criminal Justice

DNA Crime technology has transformed the criminal justice system. Statutes in all states today require that DNA samples of certain convicted offenders be included in a state database and in many states, all felons are required to provide such samples. Other state laws address statutes of limitations on crimes or post-conviction motions based on the availability of DNA evidence.

Resources

• American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) - DNA Forensics Program
   
• American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics - DNA Fingerprinting and Civil Liberties Project
   
• DNA Resource of Gordon Thomas Honeywell
   
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation - CODIS (Combined DNA Index System)
   
• The Innocence Project
   
• National Criminal Justice Association - The Role of DNA in Criminal Justice
   
• National Institute of Justice
   
• Office of Justice Programs Funding available under President's DNA Initiative
   
• U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics - Survey of DNA Crime Labs, 2001

NCSL Criminal Justice Program is in Denver, Colorado at (303) 364-7700 or cj-info@ncsl.org.