Argentina's Province of Mendoza Recognized for Establishing Criminal Offender DNA Database Program
Other Provinces and the National Government Encouraged to Move Forward
MENDOZA, Argentina, Oct. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mendoza Governor Alfredo Cornejo and Attorney General Alejandro Gullé received the "Katie's Hero Crime Fighting Award" for demonstrating their commitment to victims and protecting public safety by establishing a criminal offender DNA database for Mendoza. DNA Saves, an organization that advocates for the creation of criminal offender DNA databases, provides this award to government officials who recognize the power of DNA databases to solve and prevent crime, and who demonstrate leadership in bringing these databases to their communities.
In 2016, Mendoza passed a law to require most criminal offenders to submit DNA to the province's criminal offender DNA database system. During the event today hosted by Governor Cornejo, the official launch of this DNA database was announced, making Mendoza the first province in Argentina to have a comprehensive criminal offender DNA database in operation.
"With this DNA database, authorities in Mendoza will solve and prevent some of the Province's most horrible crimes. The Government of Mendoza should be proud of what it has accomplished to protect its citizens," said Jayann Sepich, the Co-Founder of DNA Saves. While fifty-nine countries have established national criminal offender DNA database programs, Argentina has not yet acted to create its own nationwide DNA database for solving crimes. "With a comprehensive DNA database now in place in Mendoza, it is time for the rest of Argentina to move forward. Victims of crime, especially victims of sexual assault and other violent attacks, deserve to have the best crime fighting technology available," said Ms. Sepich.
"We are honored to receive this meaningful award, and are committed to using DNA to protect our most vulnerable citizens. We look forward to working with our colleagues in the other Provinces and the National Government to expand this program to the rest of the country," said Attorney General Alejandro Gullé.
About DNA SAVES: DNA Saves is a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation and expansion of criminal DNA database programs globally. The organization was established by Dave and Jayann Sepich in the aftermath of the brutal 2003 rape and murder of their daughter Katie. Expanded use of the offender DNA database would have allowed Katie's murderer to be caught years earlier. www.dnasaves.org
SOURCE DNA Saves
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