How the government will implement  collecting DNA at the time of arrest remains a subject of discussion .The Urban Institute Justice Policy Center issued a final technical report on the policies , practices , and implications of collecting DNA at the time of arrest. Here are a few of their findings;

  1. Arrestee laws will increase laboratory workloads.
  2. The burden of expunging the DNA sample will be placed on the arrestee whose charge has been dismissed.
  3. Collecting the samples will require a increase in funding.

The states that have enacted DNA collection have different qualifying offenses. Some states collect DNA from all felonies others like Tennessee just collect DNA from violent offenders and those that have been convicted of a crime. Tennessee’s current program seems to make sense. Currently , Tennessee has collected 81,000 DNA samples and has sent 61,000 to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

My prediction is some state legislator will try to jump on the bandwagon and push for DNA collection of everyone arrest of a crime even DUI. Then, the cost will become a issue. Just imagine the cost if the case is dismissed and the TBI  has to erase all the DNA records.It will be interesting if there will be a move to expand DNA sampling at the time of arrest.