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| Illinois Gov. Signs Law Requiring Criminals' DNA |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 08/26/2002 |
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Gov. George Ryan signed legislation Thursday that allows the state to collect and store DNA samples from every criminal convicted of a felony. The law has the potential of cracking many unsolved cases, the governor said. It takes effect immediately. Illinois already collects genetic records from a few specific types of criminals, such as sex offenders. State police director Sam Nolen said his agency ''will give its best effort toward handling the significant challenges presented in this new law.'' The database will cost $6 million the first year and $1.7 million a year in the future. The state has not set aside money to pay those expenses, although the law does require felons to pay a $200 fee. The DNA samples will be used in much the same way police review their fingerprint files for any that match fingerprints found at a crime scene. Now when police find hair, blood or other genetic material at a crime, they will be able to search a huge database for matches. |
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