DNA Backlog Reduction: Preventable Crimes

Example from Rhode Island

DNA technology is evolving rapidly and many states are considering whether to expand DNA databases or invest in DNA casework investigations. In order to inform the discussion of these issues, NIJ commissioned an independent study to ascertain the size of and reasons for the nation's backlog of DNA evidence. The resulting report included the list of cases presented here. This list of cases is not exhaustive, does not identify the perpetrator or victim, and is not a reflection on the criminal justice agencies involved. These cases would remain unsolved if not for extraordinary detective work by dedicated criminal justice professionals in these agencies.

Case studies presented on this site are from an NIJ-funded independent study. Points of view or opinions in the resulting report are those of the authors and do not represent the official position or policies of the United States Department of Justice.

ONE PREVENTABLE SEXUAL ASSAULT

In Providence in 2000 an assailant kidnapped at gunpoint a male college student who was attempting to enter his apartment. The offender forced the student withdraw funds from two banks, then returned to the student's apartment and burglarized it.

In a second incident, a female and a male college student were both kidnapped and the two victims were robbed at gunpoint. The male student was forced to withdraw money from a bank, and both students were sexually assaulted. DNA was collected from this crime scene.

In a third incident, a female college student was kidnapped at gunpoint while she was entering her apartment. She was robbed of her money and her apartment was burglarized. The woman was then forced to drive to a bank in an attempt to have her withdraw additional money from the ATM. The offender then drove the female student to a secluded area and sexually assaulted her.

The offender in this case was ultimately identified through a photograph taken by an ATM Bank surveillance machine during commission of the second crime. The offender was arrested by police one day after the third crime, and he eventually received a 70-year sentence for his violent gun-involved crimes.

Preventable Crime: The offender was charged of felony possession of a stolen vehicle in 1999, which is not a crime included in the Rhode Island DNA database. With a DNA sample from this conviction, the crime laboratory could have linked the second incident to the offender, thereby possibly preventing the third crime involving a sexual assault.

NIJ Funded Study

The cases are from National Forensic DNA Study Report and were developed using basic assumptions. For a full discussion on the review methodology that led to the conclusions presented here, see Section VI. "Forensic DNA and Crime Prevention." The report and case studies were prepared by Smith Alling Lane in partnership with Washington State University through the support of a grant awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (Grant 2002-LT-BX-K 003). Points of view or opinions in this report are those of the authors and do not represent the official position or policies of the United States Department of Justice.