S737

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Nicholas J. Sacco which expands New Jersey’s DNA database law to require more violent arrestees to submit DNA samples to the database in order to solve unsolved New Jersey crimes was signed into law last week.

“DNA sampling has the potential to become the biggest advance in crime-fighting since the adoption of fingerprinting,” said Senator Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen. “In cases when this technology has been used, it has been able to shed light on unsolved crimes and has absolved innocent individuals. By expanding the DNA database to include more crimes for which a DNA sample has to be given, we’re creating an even more powerful tool to reduce recidivism and solve the previously unsolvable.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Nicholas J. Sacco which would expand New Jersey’s DNA database law to require more violent arrestees to submit DNA samples to the database in order to solve unsolved New Jersey crimes was approved by the Assembly on Wednesday by a vote of 66 to 3 with nine abstentions, receiving final legislative approval.

“DNA sampling has the crime-fighting potential to be the 21st Century’s answer to fingerprinting,” said Senator Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen. “This technology is a tried and true method of either establishing a person’s innocence or cracking a previously unsolved case. By expanding the collection of DNA samples, we’re giving law enforcement an edge in the war on crime.”

TRENTON – The full Senate today approved a bill sponsored by Senators Nicholas J. Sacco and John A. Girgenti that would increase law enforcement’s crime-fighting potential by expanding New Jersey’s DNA law to require samples from individuals arrested on suspicion of certain violent crimes. The measure was approved by a vote of 33 to 2.

Current DNA law only requires samples to be taken from individuals convicted of certain violent crimes. The bill (S-737) approved today would amend the state’s “DNA Database and Databank Act of 1994” to require DNA samples from anyone arrested on suspicion of these crimes: murder; manslaughter; second degree aggravated assault when the person attempts to cause or causes serious bodily injury to another or causes bodily injury while fleeing or attempting to flee a law enforcement officer; kidnapping; luring or enticing a child; engaging in sexual conduct which would impair or debauch the morals of a child; or aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, criminal sexual contact or an attempt to commit any of these offenses.