DNA testing backlog...Sex offender monitoring..Beacon Hill Roll Call

Some obscene numbers about DNA testing at our State Police Crime lab, were released in the Globe a few days ago. All but 500 samples, in a collection of 16,000 samples in cold storage have been tested. The back log of over 15,000 samples will not be a priority to get tested, unless specifically asked for by prosecutors. Now keep in mind.. these are old samples from years ago. And also note, that some of these very same samples would, could and have, exonerated people, helped close cases of decades ago and was the deciding factor in many horrific crimes.

Now.. the lab which has about 3000 crime scene DNA samples and about 3500 samples from felons that need to be entered into the federal Combined DNA Index System, (CODIS)The lab in Maynard can complete 80 to 110 such analysis each month.

We got from Obama, 1.2 million from the 151 million earmarked DNA Backlog Reduction Act and most of that went to the Crime Lab in Maynard.

This is just plain foolishness. We have the technology, technicians, and money to improve our forensic data bases and just think how many cases could be solved, one way or the other, if just half of the 15,000 samples were tested. There needs to be a better plan of action from undersecretary of forensic science and technology John Grossman, other than to say, "we are exercising triage, when requests come in, we analyze, otherwise most of the 16,000 samples will remain in cold storage". This is the very same group, that had three lab employee's, including the administrator and director fired, just two years ago.

And while we are reminded daily of missing women and children, horrific crimes are being committed by released sex offenders. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, there are 716,000 registered sex offenders in the country and thousands here in Mass. The only effective tool in monitoring their whereabouts, when on parole or probation, comes in the form of a GPS monitoring bracelet. This program alone will cost hundreds of millions in the future and still will not give the assurances we all need to let our children play outside or ride a bike to school. The only way to stop these very sick individuals, is to keep them under close supervision, in Federal facilities, or on an island, either with no internet access. Evoke civil forfeiture on their assets when busted and the only time they are out of the pen, is when they are at work. At some point very soon, no town or city will allow them to live anywhere near society.

So before Beacon Hill approved an extra day off for themselves, Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, they voted on snubbing Deval's vetoes in approving 4.1 million to the probation department, 139 to 14, Senate 29 to 5. 300,000 for community corrections, 145 to 10, senate 30 to 4. And 950,000 for the Trial Court.

What Beacon Hill and Deval could do was sign into law, extending simulcasting of out of state dog racing at dog tracks here, come Jan 1. Retaining affordable housing and allowing mixed martial arts competition. < this one is just unbelievable.