Alberta to scrap restorative justice grant
"EDMONTON - A provincial grant program that has helped bring together criminal offenders and their victims to discuss the effects of crime is slated to be cut next year.
The Solicitor General and Public Security department on Monday confirmed its annual $351,000 grant for restorative justice programs will be axed in the 2012-2013 fiscal year. The program has been in place since 2004 and is part of the department’s $678-million overall budget.
The grant money has funded almost a dozen organizations in the province annually. The organizations have worked to bring together a variety of offenders — including convicted killers and teenagers who have committed break-and-enters — with their victims. Some organizations also apply the techniques to non-criminal conflicts, such as schoolyard disputes.
The general goal is to have both sides meet, discuss the effects of a crime, and agree on what might repair the harm caused by the commission of an offence.
The decision to cut the grant program was made in “challenging economic times,” said Patrick Mears, a spokesman for the solicitor general’s department. It does not appear that other programs are slated to be cut from the department’s next budget, he said.
Those who work in restorative justice say their programs benefit offenders, victims, and the larger community.
For victims of crime, the meetings “help answer the question of ‘Why me?’” said Jan Moran, co-ordinator for the Alberta Restorative Justice Association. For offenders, the benefit comes in seeing the true effects of their crimes and recognizing what they must change to avoid reoffending.
“I believe it’s such a good program for crime prevention,” Moran said. “It’s going to be one less option for people to have.”
Moran said her organization, an umbrella group for 34 agencies, is scheduled to meet with the solicitor general’s department next month. She was surprised by the decision to cut the grant program and thought the programs had solid support from the government.
“We thought were starting a bit of a groundswell and now we’re back at the stream,” she said.
Funding from the department has been critical for smaller organizations to run their restorative justice programs, while bigger organizations might be able to make up for the lack of grant money in other areas, Moran said."
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Gaps in services for sexual assault victims in Texas revealed
Gaps in services for sexual assault victims in Texas revealed
"Increasing the availability of local sexual assault services and lessening emergency room wait times will lead to stronger cases for prosecution, the researchers said.
The study, funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor, is the first statewide needs evaluation for adult victims of sexual assault in Texas, according to Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz, associate professor in the School of Social Work and lead investigator.
Researchers interviewed victims, rape crisis center advocates, nurses, law enforcement officers, victim services professionals and prosecutors across Texas. They found there is a substantial need for more funding, including additional support for those who serve victims.
"Sexual assault crimes persist as a social problem in Texas and the need to propel this issue to the public's attention is pressing," said Busch-Armendariz. "Little is known about the factors that promote or hinder victims to seek services from law enforcement and or victim service organizations. And, less is known about how these gaps in services impact a victim’s experience for a return to full physical, mental and emotional health.
It is critical to develop strategies so that victims can come forward."
When they did come forward, Busch-Armendariz said many victims of sexual assault told researchers that they left emergency departments when they discovered that the wait times for the forensic exam was several hours.
The researchers recommend more funding for sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE), who generally work through hospital emergency departments and are specifically trained to provide medical attention and evidence collection in a victim-centered manner.
The study estimates that Texas spends $42.8 million annually in costs to law enforcement, rape crisis centers, SANE nurse programs, district attorneys and crime victim compensation."
"Increasing the availability of local sexual assault services and lessening emergency room wait times will lead to stronger cases for prosecution, the researchers said.
The study, funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor, is the first statewide needs evaluation for adult victims of sexual assault in Texas, according to Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz, associate professor in the School of Social Work and lead investigator.
Researchers interviewed victims, rape crisis center advocates, nurses, law enforcement officers, victim services professionals and prosecutors across Texas. They found there is a substantial need for more funding, including additional support for those who serve victims.
"Sexual assault crimes persist as a social problem in Texas and the need to propel this issue to the public's attention is pressing," said Busch-Armendariz. "Little is known about the factors that promote or hinder victims to seek services from law enforcement and or victim service organizations. And, less is known about how these gaps in services impact a victim’s experience for a return to full physical, mental and emotional health.
It is critical to develop strategies so that victims can come forward."
When they did come forward, Busch-Armendariz said many victims of sexual assault told researchers that they left emergency departments when they discovered that the wait times for the forensic exam was several hours.
The researchers recommend more funding for sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE), who generally work through hospital emergency departments and are specifically trained to provide medical attention and evidence collection in a victim-centered manner.
The study estimates that Texas spends $42.8 million annually in costs to law enforcement, rape crisis centers, SANE nurse programs, district attorneys and crime victim compensation."
Friday, August 26, 2011
Cyrus Vance Jr. and the DSK Rape Case - The Daily Beast
Cyrus Vance Jr. and the DSK Rape Case - The Daily Beast
"The Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance, Jr., is facing a torrent of criticism for his handling of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case. Some of this may be justified-whether he rushed to judgment in seeking an indictment before he had gathered all the facts, for example. But much of the condemnation of his decision to dismiss the case reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the American criminal justice system, and particularly the role of the prosecution.
Evolving from British common law, the American judicial system has become adversarial in nature-two sides squaring off before a judge and jury. By contrast, the European system is described as "inquisitorial."
In most European countries, the judge or magistrate supervises the investigation, gathering facts, talking to witnesses. In America, the prosecution, working through police, performs this function.
In the American system, each side marshals the facts and evidence most favorable to its case, in civil as well as criminal proceedings. From this, the truth is supposed to emerge. It is sometimes called "trial by combat," and it has effectively become a game with each side wanting to win in the courtroom much like on the tennis court.
The role of the prosecutor is profoundly different from that of the defense counsel. Mr. Vance's responsibility was not to convict Dominique Strauss-Kahn. "The duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice, not merely to convict," says the American Bar Association, which sets the standards and ethical guidelines for lawyers. Expanding: "Although the prosecutor operates within the adversary system, it is fundamental that the prosecutor's obligation is to protect the innocent as well as to convict the guilty, to guard the rights of the accused as well as to enforce the rights of the public.""
"The Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance, Jr., is facing a torrent of criticism for his handling of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case. Some of this may be justified-whether he rushed to judgment in seeking an indictment before he had gathered all the facts, for example. But much of the condemnation of his decision to dismiss the case reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the American criminal justice system, and particularly the role of the prosecution.
Evolving from British common law, the American judicial system has become adversarial in nature-two sides squaring off before a judge and jury. By contrast, the European system is described as "inquisitorial."
In most European countries, the judge or magistrate supervises the investigation, gathering facts, talking to witnesses. In America, the prosecution, working through police, performs this function.
In the American system, each side marshals the facts and evidence most favorable to its case, in civil as well as criminal proceedings. From this, the truth is supposed to emerge. It is sometimes called "trial by combat," and it has effectively become a game with each side wanting to win in the courtroom much like on the tennis court.
The role of the prosecutor is profoundly different from that of the defense counsel. Mr. Vance's responsibility was not to convict Dominique Strauss-Kahn. "The duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice, not merely to convict," says the American Bar Association, which sets the standards and ethical guidelines for lawyers. Expanding: "Although the prosecutor operates within the adversary system, it is fundamental that the prosecutor's obligation is to protect the innocent as well as to convict the guilty, to guard the rights of the accused as well as to enforce the rights of the public.""
Thursday, August 25, 2011
State looking for savings in criminal justice system
State looking for savings in criminal justice system
"— In a time when governments at every level are looking to cut costs, vital agencies are not spared, and that isn’t different in these state’s criminal justice system.
With legislative and judicial leaders, and stakeholders from every level at his side, Gov. Jay Nixon announced his the state government will begin to study ways to reduce costs in the criminal justice system, all while focusing on public safety.
“Because of the outstanding work by our Department of Corrections, the Missouri Reentry Process, which is used to successfully transition offenders into the community as productive citizens, is recognized as a national model, and our drug courts and specialty courts have made a significant difference,” Nixon said.
“We want to continue to build on this professional expertise and success as we protect public safety in Missouri. This initiative will help us do just that.”
The panel — made up of a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators and stakeholders — will be tasked with analyzing why people end up in prisons, auditing the sentencing and corrections policy, consulting local law enforcement agencies, and developing policy recommendations to be considered by the legislature.
“We must reform our public safety system in order to reduce taxpayer costs, while making sure we are effectively tough on crime to keep Missourians safe,” said Senate President Pro Tem Robert Mayer.
House Speaker Steven Tilley echoed that concern and hopes the study will find ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the system."
"— In a time when governments at every level are looking to cut costs, vital agencies are not spared, and that isn’t different in these state’s criminal justice system.
With legislative and judicial leaders, and stakeholders from every level at his side, Gov. Jay Nixon announced his the state government will begin to study ways to reduce costs in the criminal justice system, all while focusing on public safety.
“Because of the outstanding work by our Department of Corrections, the Missouri Reentry Process, which is used to successfully transition offenders into the community as productive citizens, is recognized as a national model, and our drug courts and specialty courts have made a significant difference,” Nixon said.
“We want to continue to build on this professional expertise and success as we protect public safety in Missouri. This initiative will help us do just that.”
The panel — made up of a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators and stakeholders — will be tasked with analyzing why people end up in prisons, auditing the sentencing and corrections policy, consulting local law enforcement agencies, and developing policy recommendations to be considered by the legislature.
“We must reform our public safety system in order to reduce taxpayer costs, while making sure we are effectively tough on crime to keep Missourians safe,” said Senate President Pro Tem Robert Mayer.
House Speaker Steven Tilley echoed that concern and hopes the study will find ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the system."
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Final phase of automated criminal justice data for NC law enforcement coming to 40 counties | The Republic
Final phase of automated criminal justice data for NC law enforcement coming to 40 counties The Republic
"RALEIGH, N.C. — A database designed to give more information to North Carolina law enforcement about offenders and their criminal histories will soon be available in all 100 counties.
The State Controller's Office began rolling out the last phase of what's called the CJ-LEADS initiative this week in nearly 40 counties.
CJ-LEADS stands for Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services and merges timely criminal information about offenders in one location. In the past, officers had trouble getting data because it was kept in various databases.
The first counties received program access in 2010. Controller David McCoy's office said the final phase was moved up from December because of intense interest in the program."
"RALEIGH, N.C. — A database designed to give more information to North Carolina law enforcement about offenders and their criminal histories will soon be available in all 100 counties.
The State Controller's Office began rolling out the last phase of what's called the CJ-LEADS initiative this week in nearly 40 counties.
CJ-LEADS stands for Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services and merges timely criminal information about offenders in one location. In the past, officers had trouble getting data because it was kept in various databases.
The first counties received program access in 2010. Controller David McCoy's office said the final phase was moved up from December because of intense interest in the program."
Final phase of automated criminal justice data for NC law enforcement coming to 40 counties | The Republic
Final phase of automated criminal justice data for NC law enforcement coming to 40 counties The Republic
"RALEIGH, N.C. — A database designed to give more information to North Carolina law enforcement about offenders and their criminal histories will soon be available in all 100 counties.
The State Controller's Office began rolling out the last phase of what's called the CJ-LEADS initiative this week in nearly 40 counties.
CJ-LEADS stands for Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services and merges timely criminal information about offenders in one location. In the past, officers had trouble getting data because it was kept in various databases.
The first counties received program access in 2010. Controller David McCoy's office said the final phase was moved up from December because of intense interest in the program."
"RALEIGH, N.C. — A database designed to give more information to North Carolina law enforcement about offenders and their criminal histories will soon be available in all 100 counties.
The State Controller's Office began rolling out the last phase of what's called the CJ-LEADS initiative this week in nearly 40 counties.
CJ-LEADS stands for Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services and merges timely criminal information about offenders in one location. In the past, officers had trouble getting data because it was kept in various databases.
The first counties received program access in 2010. Controller David McCoy's office said the final phase was moved up from December because of intense interest in the program."
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Alarming number of kids killed in domestic violence incidents in New York State in 2010
Alarming number of kids killed in domestic violence incidents in New York State in 2010
"ALBANY - Domestic violence murders jumped 10% in New York last year - and it's kids who are increasingly getting caught in the cross hairs.
A new report by the state Criminal Justice Services division determined 37 minors were killed in domestic violence incidents in the Empire State last year, up from 17 in 2009.
And the jump appears to be largely city-centric, with 25 kids killed last year, compared with seven in 2009.
"All of those trends are alarming," said Michele McKeon, chief executive officer of the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The surge in children's deaths drove the overall number of domestic violence deaths in the state to 144, including 77 that took place in the five boroughs, the report found.
In 2009, domestic violence resulted in 131 deaths, down from 147 in 2008.
The Daily News reported earlier this month that the total reported domestic violence cases in the city rose more than 12% last year.
Attacks on women by "intimate partners" went up even more - 17.3%.
Advocates blamed a combination of factors for the increases but pointed to a tough economy and funding cutbacks for prevention and awareness programs as key reasons."
"ALBANY - Domestic violence murders jumped 10% in New York last year - and it's kids who are increasingly getting caught in the cross hairs.
A new report by the state Criminal Justice Services division determined 37 minors were killed in domestic violence incidents in the Empire State last year, up from 17 in 2009.
And the jump appears to be largely city-centric, with 25 kids killed last year, compared with seven in 2009.
"All of those trends are alarming," said Michele McKeon, chief executive officer of the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The surge in children's deaths drove the overall number of domestic violence deaths in the state to 144, including 77 that took place in the five boroughs, the report found.
In 2009, domestic violence resulted in 131 deaths, down from 147 in 2008.
The Daily News reported earlier this month that the total reported domestic violence cases in the city rose more than 12% last year.
Attacks on women by "intimate partners" went up even more - 17.3%.
Advocates blamed a combination of factors for the increases but pointed to a tough economy and funding cutbacks for prevention and awareness programs as key reasons."
Monday, August 22, 2011
ACLU says police respond to schools too often - news-herald.com
ACLU says police respond to schools too often - news-herald.com
"Stories abound of ever-younger children being pulled out of the classroom for seemingly minor infractions, only to end up with a criminal record from a young age.
According to activist organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, zero-tolerance policies have had the unintended effect of funneling students directly into the criminal justice system for infractions that could have been handled through in-school disciplinary actions.
Its website lists examples of children as young as 5 being arrested for throwing temper tantrums.
Such policies, the ACLU claims, do little to improve school safety and instead enact harsh discipline without regard to students' individual circumstances.
Local school officials, however, say that's not the case.
Euclid Schools, for example, doesn't have a formal zero-tolerance policy in place — precisely because there are too many unique situations — but it also doesn't tolerate violence, Superintendent Joffrey Jones said.
The district strikes a balance between the two by fostering collaboration among school officials, law enforcement officers and parents, Jones said.
Although the district no longer has a school resource officer because of financial reasons, a school security force is in place and the city police department is close enough to the high school to provide immediate response, Jones said.
"We made a change last year so that whenever there was a fight, we informed the police, because we felt that whatever would not be permissible outside the school community should not be permissible inside the school community either," Jones said.
Informing the police of a situation doesn't automatically mean a student will get a criminal record. Instead, a conference is held during which the student's parents meet with authorities at the police department to discuss the situation.
"I think it gets the attention of everybody a little bit more and we've seen a noticeable drop in fights in the past year," Jones said.
"It isn't getting (students) into the criminal justice system, per se. It's more or less of a collaborative effort to try to stem the tide of violence so they're not going to jail and they're not getting a police record.
"Most disciplinary issues in Euclid are handled in-house, with only severe criminal acts such as drug possession or sales, firearms possession or acts of violence being turned over to the police, Jones said.
"If there are extreme acts of violence against somebody, we feel that's an appropriate reason to contact police. We don't have a lot of that," he said.
In Lake County, Willoughby Police Lt. Tom Trem said the schools' resource officer is a big asset for police and the schools.
"Normally, they don't burden us with small problems," Trem said of the city's schools. "We encourage them to err on the side of caution if they are unsure, but generally they know when to call.
"If it's just a pushing match they can handle it themselves, but if someone's hurt or if there's a crime, we expect to be notified.""
"Stories abound of ever-younger children being pulled out of the classroom for seemingly minor infractions, only to end up with a criminal record from a young age.
According to activist organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, zero-tolerance policies have had the unintended effect of funneling students directly into the criminal justice system for infractions that could have been handled through in-school disciplinary actions.
Its website lists examples of children as young as 5 being arrested for throwing temper tantrums.
Such policies, the ACLU claims, do little to improve school safety and instead enact harsh discipline without regard to students' individual circumstances.
Local school officials, however, say that's not the case.
Euclid Schools, for example, doesn't have a formal zero-tolerance policy in place — precisely because there are too many unique situations — but it also doesn't tolerate violence, Superintendent Joffrey Jones said.
The district strikes a balance between the two by fostering collaboration among school officials, law enforcement officers and parents, Jones said.
Although the district no longer has a school resource officer because of financial reasons, a school security force is in place and the city police department is close enough to the high school to provide immediate response, Jones said.
"We made a change last year so that whenever there was a fight, we informed the police, because we felt that whatever would not be permissible outside the school community should not be permissible inside the school community either," Jones said.
Informing the police of a situation doesn't automatically mean a student will get a criminal record. Instead, a conference is held during which the student's parents meet with authorities at the police department to discuss the situation.
"I think it gets the attention of everybody a little bit more and we've seen a noticeable drop in fights in the past year," Jones said.
"It isn't getting (students) into the criminal justice system, per se. It's more or less of a collaborative effort to try to stem the tide of violence so they're not going to jail and they're not getting a police record.
"Most disciplinary issues in Euclid are handled in-house, with only severe criminal acts such as drug possession or sales, firearms possession or acts of violence being turned over to the police, Jones said.
"If there are extreme acts of violence against somebody, we feel that's an appropriate reason to contact police. We don't have a lot of that," he said.
In Lake County, Willoughby Police Lt. Tom Trem said the schools' resource officer is a big asset for police and the schools.
"Normally, they don't burden us with small problems," Trem said of the city's schools. "We encourage them to err on the side of caution if they are unsure, but generally they know when to call.
"If it's just a pushing match they can handle it themselves, but if someone's hurt or if there's a crime, we expect to be notified.""
Friday, August 19, 2011
APD officers without arrest powers may have jeopardized cases | ajc.com
APD officers without arrest powers may have jeopardized cases ajc.com
"The Atlanta Police Department is still reviewing records but already has found that dozens of officers lacked the authority to make arrests because they had not met state requirements for training.
Some cases involving those officers are two decades old, although how many could be affected by the discovery is unknown.
All sides in the criminal justice system agree, though, that the end result could be far-reaching.
“The APD administration’s failures have just compromised a ton of criminal convictions and pending cases,” said a past president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Christine A. Koehler.
“Somebody’s not doing what they are supposed to be doing over there. ... They have big problems.”
At least 51 APD officers had not received the state-required 20 hours of training per year, and that meant they could not make arrests. Maj. Jeff Glazier, commander of the Atlanta police training academy, said Thursday that more APD officers will likely be found deficient as agency investigators still have about 600 files to review -- or about one-third of the force.
To reclaim their arrest powers, officers will have to make up all the training they missed and seek a waiver from the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council.
Of the 51 found to be lacking in training, seven are on administrative duty pending the resolution of the issue. Nineteen were put on administrative duty but have since brought their training up to date, and the remaining 25 are still being notified that they are on desk duty until they rectify training deficiencies.
Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said the agency was also determining whether any disciplinary action should be taken against the officers.
Since 1990, state law has required all law enforcement officers to get at least 20 hours of training each year in classes covering policies, work-related computer programs or forms officers must fill out. Beginning in 2006, the state said at least one of those hours must be on the use of firearms and another hour must focus on use of force.
The problem was discovered a year ago when academy staff were reviewing the files of officers returning to duty after being away for extended periods. Glazier said he expects the resulting agencywide review of all 1,800 sworn officers to be completed by Sept. 15.
The department does not know how many arrests could be affected.
“Until an actual arrest is challenged in court ... we really don’t know,” Glazier said. “We don’t know what the impact will be.”"
"The Atlanta Police Department is still reviewing records but already has found that dozens of officers lacked the authority to make arrests because they had not met state requirements for training.
Some cases involving those officers are two decades old, although how many could be affected by the discovery is unknown.
All sides in the criminal justice system agree, though, that the end result could be far-reaching.
“The APD administration’s failures have just compromised a ton of criminal convictions and pending cases,” said a past president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Christine A. Koehler.
“Somebody’s not doing what they are supposed to be doing over there. ... They have big problems.”
At least 51 APD officers had not received the state-required 20 hours of training per year, and that meant they could not make arrests. Maj. Jeff Glazier, commander of the Atlanta police training academy, said Thursday that more APD officers will likely be found deficient as agency investigators still have about 600 files to review -- or about one-third of the force.
To reclaim their arrest powers, officers will have to make up all the training they missed and seek a waiver from the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council.
Of the 51 found to be lacking in training, seven are on administrative duty pending the resolution of the issue. Nineteen were put on administrative duty but have since brought their training up to date, and the remaining 25 are still being notified that they are on desk duty until they rectify training deficiencies.
Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said the agency was also determining whether any disciplinary action should be taken against the officers.
Since 1990, state law has required all law enforcement officers to get at least 20 hours of training each year in classes covering policies, work-related computer programs or forms officers must fill out. Beginning in 2006, the state said at least one of those hours must be on the use of firearms and another hour must focus on use of force.
The problem was discovered a year ago when academy staff were reviewing the files of officers returning to duty after being away for extended periods. Glazier said he expects the resulting agencywide review of all 1,800 sworn officers to be completed by Sept. 15.
The department does not know how many arrests could be affected.
“Until an actual arrest is challenged in court ... we really don’t know,” Glazier said. “We don’t know what the impact will be.”"
Thursday, August 18, 2011
State Lab: State Police Forensic Crime Lab Loses Accreditation - Hartford Courant
State Lab: State Police Forensic Crime Lab Loses Accreditation - Hartford Courant
"— Critical federal audits have cost the state police forensic crime lab its accreditation from a nationally recognized society, at least temporarily.
The audits led the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors' laboratory acceditation board to allow the state lab's accreditation to expire Wednesday, the Malloy administration said. On its website, the board says it accredits most of the local, state and federal laboratories in the U.S.
Early this year, the board gave Connecticut's state lab in Meriden a six-month extension of its accreditation, but that extension ended Wednesday.
Michael P. Lawlor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning, said the lab will be reinspected — the date is tentatively set for Sept. 12 — and he was confident that improvements would result in the lab's reaccreditation. Lawlor said that the accreditation is voluntary, and that "there is no indication that this will affect pending cases between now and Sept. 12."
"The issues raised in the audits do not directly affect testing in criminal prosecutions," Lawlor said in a statement.
Last week, Malloy said that the federal audits raised legitimate concerns about the administration of the lab, but that the integrity of DNA testing on crime-scene evidence had not been compromised by the huge case backlogs and chronic understaffing."
"— Critical federal audits have cost the state police forensic crime lab its accreditation from a nationally recognized society, at least temporarily.
The audits led the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors' laboratory acceditation board to allow the state lab's accreditation to expire Wednesday, the Malloy administration said. On its website, the board says it accredits most of the local, state and federal laboratories in the U.S.
Early this year, the board gave Connecticut's state lab in Meriden a six-month extension of its accreditation, but that extension ended Wednesday.
Michael P. Lawlor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning, said the lab will be reinspected — the date is tentatively set for Sept. 12 — and he was confident that improvements would result in the lab's reaccreditation. Lawlor said that the accreditation is voluntary, and that "there is no indication that this will affect pending cases between now and Sept. 12."
"The issues raised in the audits do not directly affect testing in criminal prosecutions," Lawlor said in a statement.
Last week, Malloy said that the federal audits raised legitimate concerns about the administration of the lab, but that the integrity of DNA testing on crime-scene evidence had not been compromised by the huge case backlogs and chronic understaffing."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)