As part of the 2016 BJA SAKI solicitation, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office was awarded a grant to identify offenders who should have their DNA in the FBI’s DNA database (the Combined DNA Index System, CODIS) but do not—offenders who lawfully “owe� their DNA. In addition to identifying offenders who “owe� DNA, the Task Force will also collect, submit, and track DNA samples of these offenders.
The Cuyahoga County SAK Research Project team is collaborating with the Task Force in conducting (1) a census of offenders who owe DNA and (2) an assessment of the efficacy of changes to practice. Currently, the team is conducting the census of offenders who owe their DNA.