MEASURABLE SUCCESS

VIRGINIA:

Since implementing arrestee DNA, the state of Virginia has been very successful in identifying suspects using their DNA database. More than 350 suspects have identified matching arrestees to crimes and currently the DNA database in Virginia has an average of two matches per day.

UNITED KINGDOM:

The United Kingdom takes DNA upon every arrest that could result in a jail sentence. They also search for crime scene DNA in more than just violent crimes---including burglary, home invasions and car thefts. When DNA is found at a crime scene in the United Kingdom, a match is made in more than 50% of these cases.

NEW MEXICO:

"Katie's Law" was implemented in New Mexico at 12:01am on January 1, 2007. A little over an hour later an arrestee was swabbed, and his DNA matched DNA found at the scene of a homicide.

On Halloween of 2005, an eleven year old girl, Victoria Sandoval, was raped and murdered in her home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Soon after a man named Robert Gonzales confessed to the crime. Robert Gonzales had been in jail for more than two and a half years after a grand jury thought his confession was enough to hold him in the case. That was before DNA tests came back that did not match. However District Attorney Kari Brandenburg thought that Gonzales was with Sandoval when she died. "We thought all along Robert Gonzalez was involved because of his confession, and because his confession was corroborated with some of the physical evidence," said Brandenburg.

Then a remarkable thing happened. In the spring of 2008, Israel Diaz was arrested for burglary, and under "Katie's Law" his cheek was swabbed for DNA. His DNA matched the DNA matched the DNA tat was found on Sandoval's body after her rape and murder.

"What shocked us is that we weren't able to prove a connection with Mr. Gonzalez and Diaz", said District Attorney Brandenburg.

So charges were dismissed against Robert Gonzalez, and Israel Diaz has been arrested for the rape and murder of Victoria Sandoval.

Ironically, after being arrested for burglary, it was discovered that Diaz was in the country illegally, and he was awaiting deportation. It is very possible that he would not have been prosecuted, nor convicted for the burglary. Under the old system, before "Katie's Law", his DNA would not have been taken, and Diaz would have never been charged with Sandoval's murder. And Robert Gonzalez may have spent a very long time in jail for a crime he did not commit.

Since January 1, 2007, that state of New Mexico (which has a population of a little over one million people) has had 33 matches from arrestees to unsolved crimes, including three homicides, four rapes and one kidnapping.