NCJ Number
228477
Date Published
2008
Length
108 pages
Annotation
Results are presented from an assessment on the association between mandatory DNA testing of New South Wales (NSW) prison inmates and clear-up, charge, and conviction rates for various categories of crime.
Abstract
The results of the study quantify the significance, size, and direction of association between the advent of DNA testing and the subsequent growth in the DNA database and the various outcome measures: clear-up rate, charge rate, and conviction rates in both court jurisdictions. For conviction rates, there was no evidence for a conclusion that the advent of DNA testing had had a positive impact. For the police outcome series of clear-up, charge, and charge to clear-up rates, there was consistent evidence of a positive association for five of the eight crime categories considered and mixed evidence for the assault and the two motor vehicle related categories. In relation to the observations for the police outcome series, the lags at which the association with the advent of DNA testing and subsequent database growth was quite long and varied across crime categories. From shortest lag to longest lag, the lags included break and enter non-dwelling, sexual assault, break and enter dwelling, robbery without firearm, and robbery with firearm. The differences in lags across categories could be attributed to differences in average prison sentences for these crimes. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the impact on clear-up prosecution and conviction rates for New South Wales (NSW) legislation passed in 2000, permitting police to take a DNA sample from any offender serving a sentence of imprisonment for a serious indictable offense. Tables, figures, references, and appendixes