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C. 73

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Mark Peterson, District Attorney
Date:	March 29, 2016

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Contract with Sorenson Forensics, LLC for Biotechnical Services - DNA Analysys

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/29/2016

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor

Contact:

Cherie Mathisen 925-957-2234

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 29, 2016
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the District Attorney, or designee, to execute a contract with Sorenson Forensics, LLC in an amount not to exceed $1,765,000 to provide DNA testing of untested sexual assault kits provided by local law enforcement agencies for the period of December 1, 2015 through September 30, 2018.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The cost of this contract funded 100% by a grant awarded by the office of the District Attorney of New York.

BACKGROUND:

In September 2015 Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the award of approximately $38 million in grants to 32 jurisdictions in 20 states across the U.S. to eliminate backlogs of untested sexual assault evidence kits, or "rape kits." The two-year awards, ranging in amount from approximately $97,000 to $2 million, will help test an estimated 56,475 rape kits, generating DNA evidence that will help solve cases across the country. The Contra Costa County District Attorney's office was fortunate enough to have been awarded $1,841,535.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

In cases where a suspect has not yet been identified, biological evidence from the crime scene can be analyzed and compared to offender profiles in DNA databases, such as the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), to help identify the perpetrator. Crime scene evidence can also be linked to other crime scenes through the use of DNA databases to identify serial offenders, and arrests for lower-level crimes in one state might help solve a cold case in another state. DNA has also helped exonerate the wrongfully convicted. Sorenson Forensics, LLC was chosen to be the lab to test approximately 2,958 untested sex kits here in Contra Costa County.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The District Attorney will be unable to fulfill responsibilities from a grant awarded by the County of New York in September 2015 to reduce the backlog in untested rape kits.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

No impact.