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28 Am. J. Crim. L. 119 (2000-2001)
The Next Frontier of Law Enforncement: A Proposal for Complete DNA Databanks

handle is hein.journals/ajcl28 and id is 127 raw text is: The Next Frontier of Law Enforcement: A Proposal for Complete DNA Databanks John P. Cronan* Table of Contents I. Introduction ......................................................................... 120 II. DNA Technology in Law Enforcement ......................................... 124 A. Introduction to the DNA Molecule ......................................... 124 B. The Technique: DNA Profiling ............................................. 125 C. DNA's Impact on Criminal Investigations ................................ 127 D. Revelation of an Alarming Rate of Wrongful Convictions ............. 130 III. The Current DNA Databank System ............................................ 131 A. DNA Databanks in the United States ...................................... 131 1. State DNA Databanks ................................................... 131 2. Federal DNA Databank ................................................. 133 B. Flaws in the Current DNA Databank System ............................ 134 1. Incomplete Listings ...................................................... 134 2. Major Delays in Profiling .............................................. 135 3. Failure of State Databanks To Participate in the Federal Databank ........................................................ 137 IV. Proposal for Complete DNA Databanks ........................................ 137 A. DNA Collection for Complete Databanks ................................. 137 B. Concurrent Policies ........................................................... 139 1. Indoctrination of Police on Sanctity of DNA Evidence ............ 139 2. Safeguards To Protect Individual Privacy Interests ................. 140 V. The Constitutionality of Complete DNA Databanks: Fourth Amendment Privacy Concerns .......................................... 142 A. DNA Databank Case Law ................................................... 143 B. Fourth Amendment Analysis of Complete DNA Databanks ........... 144 1. Relevant Fourth Amendment Standard: The Special Needs Doctrine ........................................ 144 2. Applying the Special Needs Doctrine ............................. 146 a. Privacy Intrusion ..................................................... 146 b.Government's Special Needs. .................................... 148 3. Increased Conviction Rates ............................................ 148 4. Deterrence Leading to a Lower Crime Rate ......................... 149 5. Reduction of Wrongful Arrests ........................................ 151 J.D. Candidate, Yale Law School, May 2001; B.A., Georgetown University, 1998. I thank Professor Steven Duke of the Yale Law School for his invaluable guidance and comments on various drafts of this Article. I also thank Jason Ryan, Shawn Reinschmiedt, and the staff of the American Journal of Criminal Law for their editorial assistance.

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