Best Practices for Handling “Cold Hits”

Overview

The use of DNA evidence in the investigation and prosecution of crime is increasing. As DNA databases expand, “cold hits” will also increase¹, and the capacity of law enforcement agencies to respond to cold hits is often overlooked. It is imperative that organizations establish policies and procedures to ensure a seamless response to cold hits by the investigating law enforcement agency and the crime laboratory.^2,3 Systems for streamlining notification and tracking responses to cold hits must be developed and maintained.

There are a number of pitfalls associated with an agency’s failure to establish a protocol for responding to cold hits, including further victimization and jeopardizing limited funding to laboratories.⁴

¹ Traditional statistics for tracking cold hits are “cold hits” themselves and investigations aided. For example, Maryland tracks this information »
² DPS Chaparral (August 2010) CODIS program reaches 5,000 cold hits. PDF download: 1.8MB • Visit the DPA Chaparral archive »
³ Massachusetts DNA Database Metric for 2008 PDF download: 2.3MB • Visit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts »
⁴ Terrence Newsome, M.S., Kirby Everhart, M.P.A.A, A Process Evaluation of the California DNA Cold Hit Program (2003) PDF download: 76kB • Visit the California Emergency Management Agency »