NY law would be 1st to take DNA from all criminals

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Last Updated: 10:28 AM, June 22, 2010
Posted: 10:26 AM, June 22, 2010

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. David Paterson has proposed roughly doubling New York’s DNA database to include samples from even low-level offenders, making it the first in the nation to so broadly collect and use this evidence to solve crimes and exonerate people wrongly convicted.

New York’s law would require adding about 48,000 samples a year to a laboratory system that state officials say is capable of handling the extra work, with no current backlogs.

“You think it’d be a huge explosion, but we have samples on so many people that recommit crimes already — it’s the old rule of criminals don’t specialize,â€