RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) -

DNA evidence could exonerate 38 offenders convicted of sexual assault and homicide in Virginia decades ago. The findings of Virginia's post-conviction DNA project were released Monday, by the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C..

In 2005, Virginia launched a huge undertaking for forensic labs to DNA test old swabs and threads of evidence that scientists filed away in the 1970's and 1980's.

The Virginia Department of Forensic Science took on the tedious task of sifting through filed-away evidence for nearly 800 rape and homicide cases. Deputy Director Gail Jaspen says in 78 of those conviction cases from 1973 to 1988, the criminal's DNA wasn't discovered in the recently analyzed evidence.

"It is an indication when you make that finding, that further investigation is probably warranted...and indeed, that's what's occurred in many cases," said Jaspen.

Five convicts have already been exonerated through the effort. Now, the Urban Institute says there could be many more. John Roman is leading the study on the new data.

"As much as one in six convicted offenders in Virginia in the 70s and 80s for sexual assault probably wasn't the right person," said Roman.

The Urban Institute's study concludes that for 38 of the criminals (33 sexual assault cases, five homicide cases) whose DNA wasn't found, there is a strong chance that the wrong person was put behind bars. However, Roman points out that only cases in which evidence still existed were examined, and that many other cases lacking evidence will never be rehashed.

"In most cases, evidence wasn't retained, which means that there's lots of other people in Virginia at that time who were wrongfully convicted," concluded Roman.

However, for offenders who have found new hope with the recent DNA testing, the process has only begun. The lab reports must be sent to the investigators and prosecutors who originally dealt with the case. The legal process for exoneration must then be taken on.

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DNA evidence could show slew of VA criminals wrongly convicted