2010 Solving Cold Cases With DNA

The proposed Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Solving Cold Cases With DNA Program will focus on the following: 1) the review and prioritization of 800 "cold" homicides that have the potential of being solved through DNA analysis; 2) the retrieval and evaluation of biological evidence; 3) DNA analysis of biological evidence likely to yield results from those cases reviewed; and 4) follow-up investigations. In the City of Los Angeles, 46 out of every 100 homicides, and 80 out of every 100 rapes, are never solved. There are currently more than 6,000 unsolved homicides dating back to the 1960s. The LAPD also faces another formidable challenge, an unknown number of the homicide and sexual assault cases may be gang and drug related. ca/ncf