ADFS receives approximately 300 criminal cases per month for Forensic Biology analyses. A breakdown of the cases submitted by offense type is provided below:

In 2019, the DNA Databank laboratory received approximately 20,000 convicted offender/arrestee DNA samples from Sheriff’s Offices, Pardon and Parole offices, and the Department of Corrections for testing and entry into the SDIS. As of June 2020, there are approximately 320,000 Convicted Offender and Arrestee DNA profiles entered into SDIS, and these DNA profiles are being searched against crime scene samples to generate investigative leads.

In 2019, 684 Offender/Arrestee hits occurred – which are matches between DNA profiles from unsolved crimes and convicted offender/arrestee samples. As of June 2020, 9,164 Offender/Arrestee hits have occurred within the state of Alabama since the creation of CODIS. The growth of Alabama’s DNA Database, along with the increasing number of investigative leads resulting from Offender/Arrestee hits, are further illustrated below:

Since DNA technology was first applied to a criminal case in the 1980s, DNA testing has transformed how forensic biology analyses are performed, providing the capability to exonerate the wrongly accused and identify putative perpetrators. From the time that DNA analysis methods were first generally accepted within the forensic community, ADFS has demonstrated its commitment to the continued improvement and development of its Forensic Biology section by validating and implementing new DNA methods and technologies. We are proud of our role as a leader within the forensic community and look forward to what the future holds for our Forensic Biology section.

For more information about the Forensic Biology section of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, please contact:

Jason Kokoszka, PhD, F-ABC
Chief of Forensic Biology & DNA