"The 5,000th hit is an extraordinary milestone," Governor Kaine said. "It shows what a powerful tool DNA has become, as the databank grows larger and more law enforcement agencies utilize it effectively for a wide range of offenses. I remain proud of our scientists and other staff at our four DFS labs for maintaining the Commonwealth's record as one of the premier forensic labs in the country. They are making a real difference in public safety."
Virginia's DNA Databank has not only helped further the cause of justice in the Commonwealth, but it also has assisted law enforcement agencies in 31 states, along with the FBI and ATF.
Under Virginia law, all convicted felons must submit a DNA sample for the database. Since 2003, all individuals arrested for a violent felony after a finding of probable cause must also submit a sample. The number of distinct samples in Virginia's DNA Databank now exceeds 277,000.
Within the Virginia Databank's 5,000 hits, approximately 9 percent have been in homicide cases, 16 percent were sex offenses, 65 percent were in crimes such as burglary, robbery, grand larceny, and breaking and entering and 10 percent have been from other crime types.