DNA sampling starts in WA prisons

8/7/02
A massive operation to collect DNA samples from about 2,500 prisoners in jails across Western Australia commenced today at Greenough Prison in the State's Mid-West.
Attorney General Jim McGinty said the DNA samples would provide a crucial database to assist police investigating unsolved crimes dating back over many years.
"It is estimated about 10 per cent of the criminal population commits 90 per cent of all crime, so the DNA samples collected from prisoners will be an extremely valuable tool in the fight against crime, helping create safer communities," Mr McGinty said.
"It has been enormously successful in Britain, where police began establishing a DNA data base in 1995.
"Long unsolved murders and multiple rapes have been cleared up with the perpetrators now in prison."
Mr McGinty said other Australian States which had introduced DNA testing for offenders had started to reap results in clearing up crime.
"In Victoria, for example, it has been reported that charges were laid covering over 200 unsolved crimes following the collection of DNA samples from 3,000 prisoners," he said.
"In New South Wales more than 10,000 prisoners have been DNA sampled, which has resulted in two homicide cases being reopened and a further 165 crime scenes being investigated against the new DNA database.
"DNA testing is a quantum leap from traditional fingerprinting of suspects, and the ability to check DNA from all known offenders against crime scenes will be a major step forward in the State's crime-fighting strategy."
The State Government has committed $22million towards DNA sampling and linking to the CrimTrac, National Criminal Investigation database.
Mr McGinty said DNA evidence had been used successfully in Australia over many years to help convict offenders of crimes ranging from murder and rape to armed robbery and serious property offences.
There were examples of notorious criminals who had been convicted because their DNA was able to be matched to a crime scene, sometimes for crimes committed many years earlier.
One example was Rodney Winters, who was convicted in 1996 of a 14-year-old unsolved murder and rape in South Australia.
DNA also helped convict Ivan Milat for the seven backpacker murders in New South Wales and notorious escapee Brendon Abbott, who left DNA traces at the scene of a Queensland bank hold-up.
"The logical progression from case-by-case testing is to build a database of DNA from as many known criminals as possible by collecting samples while they are in prison," Mr McGinty said.
"Experience in other jurisdictions virtually ensures we will see a number of serious unsolved crimes in WA resolved, hopefully bringing closure to the victims."
Mr McGinty said another facet to DNA sampling was that it could also be used to eliminate suspects or even prove someone was innocent.
Anyone under sentence for an offence that attracts a penalty of at least 12 months imprisonment, except those convicted of a Federal offence, will be required to present themselves for DNA sampling.
There are about 2,500 current prisoners in WA's 14 prisons who are eligible for sampling and approximately 1,200 more are expected to pass through the prisons in the next 12 months of what is termed the 'back capture'.
In addition, anyone serving parole or on a community order for an offence that attracts a statutory penalty of a year's imprisonment or more, is liable for the DNA sampling.
The prison sampling will start with about 130 of the 170 Greenough prisoners - 100 males and 30 females.
It is a simple procedure with a buccal mouth swab, similar to a small flat cotton pad, which is self-administered by the prisoners under police direction.
The sample is then placed in a sealed tamper-proof bag, which is sent to independent scientists for analysis.
The next stage of DNA sampling will see police taking DNA samples when a person is charged or suspected of having committed a serious offence.
Attorney General's office: 9220 5000