Reducing the DNA Backlog
July 24, 2007
An important investment, which is in the last few months we have hired two more forensic scientists, bringing the total number of DNA experts to 22 within the Maryland State Police. Very, very important, because a lot of local departments depend very much on our ability to hold up our end of this arrangement.
By increasing base salaries we’ve filled long-standing vacant positions in the DNA lab. We have provided $500,000 for the continued out-sourcing of the analysis of convicted offender DNA samples, funds that are necessary to close the DNA backlog -- that had, by the way, grown to be over 24,000 by the end of 2006.
We’ve also invested another $800,000 for DNA instrumentation, as well as needed equipment for other disciplines within the lab which have been needed for far too long.
We’ve been working with the members of the General Assembly on the Administrative Executive and Legislative Review Committee, we passed emergency regulations this year to allow additional State personnel to be able to collect DNA samples.
And we’ve instituted a Stat process -- DNA Stat, if you will -- which tracks our elimination of the DNA backlog on a weekly basis, rather than waiting until the end of the year and saying, Golly, I wonder if that backlog is still there.
In the first half of this year, we have had 162 hits. 162 hits from the lab -- putting us well on our way to exceed the 220 hits that we had last year.
The DNA lab has uploaded nearly 10,000 samples this year. To put that into perspective, last year we uploaded about half that number -- 4,963. And so far this year we’ve eliminated the number of samples waiting to be shipped to our outside vendor from 24,000 at the beginning of this year.
For the very first time in our State’s history, we’ve also brought together two agencies with the common goal of security integration. That is the sharing of intelligence across all levels of Government to improve public safety.
So now the Maryland State Police and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services are working together to insure that current prisoners, who are required by law to give a DNA sample, actually do, in fact, give a DNA sample.
By the end of this month over 650 employees of the Division of Parole and Probation will be trained to collect those DNA samples from inmates. It’s a simple swab, I believe, of the inside of one’s cheek. And today I’m also proud to announce that because of the hard work of our lab technicians, our correctional officers and our State Police officers, we are on pace to finish clearing the entire backlog of DNA samples a full four months early. So that would be by 2008.
So together we have the ability to take responsibility, not as one city or one town, but really as one Maryland.
[ Read related press release ]
