New law requires crime lab to audit DNA databank for missing offender profiles

STATE HOUSE — The state crime lab will audit the DNA databank to determine how many offender profiles it is missing under a new law introduced by Majority Floor Manager John G. Edwards and Sen. Melissa A. Murray that was signed by Gov. Dan McKee this week.

The databank is used to search previously collected profiles for matches with DNA collected at crimes scenes to identify potential suspects. State law requires offenders convicted of violent crimes to submit DNA samples for entry into the databank. But due to loopholes in the justice system, many offenders’ samples are never submitted…