Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 - NSW Ombudsman - NSW ...

10.3.2. How many person samples have been received
We asked DAL to provide the number of samples taken from suspects and volunteers, received at DAL during the
review period.
Figure 10. DNA samples taken from suspects and volunteers received at DAL during review period
350
300
Volunteers
Suspects
No. of DNA samples received at DAL by month
250
200
150
100
50
0
Jan
2001
July
Jan
2002
July
Jan
2003
July
Jan
2004
July
Source: DAL response to Ombudsman investigation notice, 24 February 2005. Volunteer samples are measured from the time
the relevant legislative provisions commenced, June 2003.
Figure 10 shows that the number of samples taken from suspects each month has increased since the legislation
commenced, but appears to have stabilised over the last 12 months of the review period, at between 200 and 300
samples a month. The number of samples taken from volunteers each month is much lower than the number of
samples taken from suspects, and has remained stable at between 14 and 32 samples a month.
10.3.3. Date of receipt
As discussed above, the date of receipt recorded by DAL refers to the date the sample is entered onto DAL’s case
management system, rather than the date the sample is actually received by DAL. However, DAL has also advised
that all exhibits are barcoded on receipt, and that “since the barcodes are scanned the date of receipt is recorded as
are the dates of all movements of the exhibits.” 912 It is not clear why, if samples are barcoded on receipt, the actual
date of receipt is not being recorded electronically. It may be because DAL checks every item for sample integrity,
and ensures the correct documentation is present, before the sample is barcoded. If this is not done straight away,
there will be a delay between the sample being received and it being entered onto the system at DAL.
10.3.4. Rejection of person samples by DAL
We sought information about how many DNA samples DAL rejected during the review period, and for what reasons.
DAL advised that it could provide electronic records of the samples it had rejected since 1 June 2003, but that
records would have to be accessed manually for the period before this. We decided that for the purposes of our
review it would be sufficient to examine the electronic records, which covered the last 17 months of the review period.
During this period, DAL rejected 123 DNA samples. In most cases this was because there was insufficient DNA on the
FTA card.
NSW Ombudsman
DNA sampling and other forensic procedures conducted on suspects and volunteers under the Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 185