§ 12-12-1102 - Purpose. - Arkansas Statutes

12-12-1102. Purpose.

The General Assembly finds and declares that:

(1) DNA data banks are an important tool in:

(A) Criminal investigations;

(B) The exclusion of individuals who are the subjects of criminal investigations or prosecutions; and

(C) Deterring and detecting recidivist acts;

(2) Several states have enacted laws requiring persons convicted of certain crimes, especially sexual offenses, to provide genetic samples for DNA profiling;

(3) Moreover, it is the policy of this state to assist federal, state, and local criminal justice and law enforcement agencies in the identification and detection of individuals in criminal investigations; and

(4) It is therefore in the best interest of the State of Arkansas to establish a DNA data base and a DNA data bank containing DNA samples submitted by individuals convicted of sex offenses and violent offenses.