Bill Would Require DNA From All Misdemeanor Convicts In Colorado

Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, gives a sample of his DNA at a news conference on Tuesday (credit: CBS)

DENVER (AP/CBS4) Nearly all people going through Colorados criminal court system would have to submit DNA samples under a bill introduced Tuesday at the state House.

The measure would require those convicted of misdemeanors from shoplifting to assault to submit DNA samples. Those samples would be entered into a database where it would be compared with DNA found at scenes of unsolved crimes.

If approved, Colorado would become only the second state in the nation to have such a law, according to Rich Williams, a criminal justice policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures.

I believe so much in this test that Im willing to have my sample taken right now, said Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, the bills sponsor at a news conference.

Pabon then proceeded to have his DNA sample taken at the new conference.

It really is 21st century fingerprint, and we know that we can be more accurate, more effective, better at solving crimes when were using DNA, he said.

In October, New York began collecting DNA from those convicted of misdemeanors, with an exception for those with no previous criminal records who are convicted of marijuana offenses.

Criminals do not follow a neat pattern of only committing one type of offense, Denver Chief Deputy District Attorney Dawn Weber said.

DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, then sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for testing and to a state database.

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Bill Would Require DNA From All Misdemeanor Convicts In Colorado