As I know all too well from my own family’s experience, when someone goes missing – whether it’s a child or adult – the not knowing is the hardest part for their loved ones. I’m very passionate about pursuing AMW’s mission of being a voice for victims and helping them find justice. But sometimes, getting some answers for a heartbroken family is the best you can hope for. That’s one reason why a story we broadcast this month really upsets me. It’s about a family that should have had some answers years ago – and would have, if only we were able to get our act together as a nation and build a unified national DNA database system.
The story is about Martha and Robert Harris, and their daughter, Lindsay. I’ve known the Harrises for years, and when Lindsay vanished in Las Vegas in 2005, when she was 21, I didn’t hesitate to offer them AMW’s help. Tragically, Lindsay’s remains were identified in Illinois, just last month. You can read the details of the case here.
Our hearts and prayers go out to the Harrises. We are all so sorry for their loss. I know these fine parents, and I know first hand the hell that they’re going through. It’s heartbreaking enough that this young woman was brutally murdered, and we’re going to do all we can to help find her killer. But to make things even worse, Lindsay’s remains were actually discovered in May, 2005 – three weeks after she went missing. But her parents were left to wonder about her for three years. That’s because no one was able to make the connection between the DNA information about the unidentified victim discovered in Illinois and DNA information related to the missing person case in Nevada. An up-to-date national DNA data base, something I’ve been strongly advocating for a long time, would have saved the Harrises’ three awful years of not knowing.
Tragically, they’re far from alone. The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that there are some 40,000 cases in the United States in which police have recovered human remains, but can’t identify them. Imagine it! Forty thousand families, aching for answers. Even if DNA samples from those cases has been submitted to the national DNA data bank, known as CODIS, those families don’t have much reason for hope. The Justice Department says that the FBI, which oversees CODIS, has a backlog of some 200,000 DNA samples waiting to be entered. And that backlog is growing every day. This country can put a robot on Mars, yet loved ones of missing persons have to wait years to get answers, or get remains back. It’s just wrong.
Of course, a national DNA data bank that’s up-to-date wouldn’t just help resolve missing persons cases. It would help solve hundreds of crimes. What’s more, it would help absolve many accused and even convicted people of crimes they didn’t commit. There’s absolutely no question of that. That’s why I think it’s so important that DNA samples be taken from everyone accused of a serious crime, not just those convicted.
So, how do we get a national DNA data bank that’s up-to-date? One thing that’s been a big help in taking us toward that goal is The President’s DNA Initiative. Among many other things, it provides funding for testing the DNA of unidentified human remains, along with samples from family members of missing people. The bad news is that the funding for the initiative itself is about to run out. Congress is currently considering legislation that would keep the money flowing to this very important project, along with bills that will provide more money to help clear DNA sample backlogs. I urge you to let your representatives in DC know how important is to us that these bills pass.
Stay Safe.
John Walsh
24 Comments on "John Walsh: Why Can’t We Get Our Act Together On A National DNA Database?"
emanuel nathaniel amaha
the time is now that the whole world needs a national data base dna system not only to free the innocent that have have been falsely accused charged convicted sentenced to hard time plus for those that are spending the rest of their lives in a prison cell or even worse executed by capital punishment meaning we all know the methods are the electric chair, firing squad, gas chamber, and lethal injection knowing the us supreme court in washington is trying to ban forever in all the states that have a gurney in their eyes which they think is unconstitutional but i alone beg to differ in my eyes a lifetime of incarceration without a chance possibility or shot at parole is still the harshest punishment any judge or jury can give another human being good or evil plus we allneed this national data base dna system to free and release all the innocent people and keep the right fully guilty savage animals where they belong in a prison cell plus identify crime victims and their perps while solving old crimes anl last give allthe people from both families of the victim with the perpatrator closure,justice,peace plus redemption thats why not only country needs this but all countries all over the world need national data dna base system right now so john walsh with all members of amw please read this and take it seriously
Susan Harms
Mr Walsh, we sometimes forget what kind of tragedy you went through that put you in touch with our systems shortcomings. I want to thank you for all you have accomplished in helping America get these criminals off our streets away from our children. I have personally been fighting a district attorney who will not prosecute my granddaughters father for abusing her sexually when she was only 3 yrs old. I walked in on him abusing her so I know it was done. The state of Utah does so little to protect our children that it is sick. They would not press charges because we would not put that 3 yr old on the witness stand. Here they consider rape and child sexual abuse non violent crimes. And they changed the wording in adams law so they could warehouse children instead of putting them with loving family members. Thus my daughter moved out of state so they could never take my hannah and put her in a state warehousing place for children. We are not sure what to do from here but her dr. and counsiler both agreed to travel to utah to testify so she would not have to and they still
refuse to press charges. I am scared that this man is out there right now dating a woman with children hurting them and there is nothing I can do. These things are so upsetting as I firmly believe anyone who knows of abuse and does nothing is as guilty as the abuser. I sit here with my hands tied and I lay awake at night worrying that he will destroy many lives before he is finally caught.
Gene "Genie" C. Towner
DNA testing, required for all persons physically present within the borders of these United States of America, to form our nation’s USA DNA Database, is the best possible goal.
I pray for such a database.
Maria T Rivera
Dear Mr.Walsh i was thinking that you need to be clon.Because of the great work you have done and continous doing getting this criminal of the streets.We need many like you .God bless you always. love from the Virgin Islands.
Susan
You’d think that all the found John and Jane Does burried in State cemetaries across our Nation would have collected DNA!!!!!!! And placed the DNA in a National Database!!!!!!! To link the Missing with the desparate searching Families!!!!!!!
WE NEED HELP!!!!!!!
In Search of David Joseph Miera dissapeared Jan.11, 1970 in Dixon NM. A possible suspect in the case traved frequently from Calif. to Florida, and even Mexico!!!!!!.
!!!!!!!!We Need An International DNA Database!!!!!!!!!
Andrey
John Walsh this is a super fantastic idea of yours I love it too plus you rock I support you,AMW fully you are in my prayers too.
Andrey in Auckand NZ
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