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CRIME PREVENTION Overview | PreventStat | Expanding the DNA Databank | Cyber Crime Resources Expanding the DNA Databank Make DNA the New Fingerprint To date, all 50 states have passed DNA legislation authorizing the collection of DNA profiles from certain subjects for submission to the national system. These databanks hold DNA samples from selected offenders and samples collected at crime scenes. The DNA profiles can be searched on a local, state or national level to match crime scene samples to a known offender. The premise for the collection of offender DNA is based on evidence that violent criminals commit both multiple crimes and nonviolent crimes. Richard Aborn, President of the Crime Commission, explained that "Expanding the taking of DNA from all convicted criminals, not just those convicted of a limited number of offenses. . . leads to new crimes being prevented because we know criminals commit multiple offenses before being caught. The use of DNA is crime fighting at its best." In 2006, the Crime Commission successfully supported the expansion of New York's DNA databank. But New York still fails to collect DNA from more than half of all convicted criminals. By helping to solve crimes and determine the innocence of the accused, forensic DNA information has increasingly become a major resource for law enforcement and criminal justice officials. The Crime Commission currently believes that DNA should be treated in the same way that fingerprints are treated—a sample should be taken for all offenses and kept in a database in cases once a person is convicted. New York's current DNA Databank law requires anyone convicted of and sentenced for any penal law felony or an attempt to commit a penal law felony, where such attempt is itself a felony offense, as well as for 36 specified misdemeanor offenses (including reckless endangerment, petit larceny, stalking, unlawful imprisonment, criminal trespass, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child), to provide a DNA sample for the State DNA Databank. » read Richard Aborn's testimony » read Richard Aborn's Op-Ed » read the fact sheet 
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