Free DNA Training for Law Enforcement and Other Interested Persons

Dear Families, Supporters, and Friends of Project Jason,

We are pleased to announce that we have begun to provide law enforcement (LE) training by professional instructors, available in the form of audio files. These audio files can be accessed 24 hours a day on the website of our podcast partner, the Missing People Podcast. There is no charge to utilize this training.

We began our ongoing series with a 4-part program about DNA and CODIS as it pertains to solving missing persons cases. As you know, it is critical that LE make use of the available technologies and systems in place. Obtaining DNA samples from the family members of missing persons (or DNA from the missing persons themselves) in an attempt to match them to DNA from unidentified remains is one method of finding the answers about our missing loves ones, resolving cold cases, and solving crimes.

Our guests for the DNA training are Dr. Arthur Eisenberg and George Adams from the Center for Human Identification (CHI) at North Texas University. Dr. Eisenberg pioneered much of today's DNA testing protocol and is one of the world's leading DNA scientists. "First and foremost, there never should be a human remain, a skeletal remain of anyone's loved one that would be buried or cremated without the retention of a DNA sample for analysis. If those samples are in CODIS, there's always a chance." Dr. Eisenberg stated.

George Adams is the LE liaison for the CHI, has many years of law enforcement experience and regularly conducts training for the CHI. "Once you enter a sample into CODIS, you're not working within your jurisdiction, you're working within the jurisdictions of everyone entering samples into CODIS", said George Adams. "You are bringing in so much power into your investigation. It is explosive. If we can get everyone to do this, these samples will be matched, they will be made, and the sooner we match them the sooner the law enforcement can identify who the perpetrator is, and take him off the streets."

More detailed biographies along with the audio training files can be found on the Law Enforcement Briefing Link at http://www.missingpeoplepodcast.com Each audio segment is approximately 30 minutes long.


Topics covered in the training:

History and types of DNA

Best practices for obtaining DNA samples

CODIS and State Databases

Importance of Chain of Custody

CHI Services

The nationwide crisis and the need for these processes to become standard procedure

While this information will be helpful for the families of the missing and organizations which serve them, the main goal is to disseminate this information to LE. You may feel free to forward this email to all interested persons. For families of the missing and organizations which serve them, all 4 parts will be of interest, but there are several messages of hope and encouragement in the last section. Working together, we can accomplish so much. There is always hope!

If you have a missing loved one, and do not have either their DNA in CODIS or yours, Part II discusses steps for you, and then your LE, to take.

Quick technical tips for playing audio files:

Double-clicking on the audio file on the site will download it to your PC. It may begin to play nearly immediatetely, or may take several minutes to download, depending upon which audio players you have on your PC and how you have them set up.

You can also download the files to a MP-3 player or an IPOD.

Note: Persons using dial-up internet may encounter difficulties in playing the files. For additional audio file help, please email publisher@lumospub.com

Direct links to the audio files:

Part I: http://www.lumospub.com/images/Center_for_Human_ID_1_missingpeoplepodcast.mp3
Part II: http://www.lumospub.com/images/Center_for_Human_ID_2_missingpeoplepodcast.mp3
Part III: http://www.lumospub.com/images/Center_for_Human_ID_3_missingpeoplepodcast.mp3
Part IV: http://www.lumospub.com/images/Center_for_Human_ID_4_missingpeoplepodcast.mp3

Direct link for the biographies and CHI contact information for LE: http://www.lumospub.com/lawenforcementbriefing/dnaidentitylaboratory.html

We will add more LE training on a regular basis covering a variety of topics. Please check back and forward this notice to interested persons, including law enforcement.

Don't forget, families of the missing can share their stories on the podcast, so if you are interested, please let me know, and we can schedule an interview.

Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Read our Voice for the Missing Blog
http://voice4themissing.blogspot.com/

Kelly, what an enlightening and wonderful thing for you to do. Thank you so much, and I will pass this on.

Lion

Kelly,
This is great. I know a few LE agencies that definitely need the training. Maybe then it wouldn't take 2 years to compare a missing person's DNA with a UID. I think that you know which case that I am refering to. I spoke with the family member yesterday and they still have not been contacted by LE to obtain the DNA sample.

Thanks, all.

The training, as well as the info I gave Christine last night should make this all a quick process, assuming the other persons involved do what they should do. What happened in that case should NEVER happen.

Do pass it along to LE you know.

http://www.amw.com/features/feature_story_detail.cfm?id=1906



DNA Testing Helps Identify Victims, Missing Persons


For the families and friends of the 100,000 people missing in the United States each day, DNA testing offers hope in the quest to finding answers.

Unfortunately, the process of DNA testing, often used to match the DNA of a missing person to DNA from unidentified human remains, is not utilized to its fullest potential.

There are more than 40,000 unidentified human bodies at any given time in the US, but DNA samples are taken from only 15 percent of these human remains. The rest are burned or buried by medical examiners and coroners.

The Answers Are In the Evidence

Since January, 2003, the University of North Texas System Center for Human Identification has been hard at work in helping to ease the minds of missing persons' families and identifying victims via the costly and specialized process of mitochondrial DNA testing.

UNT's forensics laboratory is one of only three in the United States that test both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA testing is essential for identifying bodies when only bones or teeth are available, or in cases when analysis of a hair shaft of unknown origin is requested. The process is expensive, and only the California Department of Justice and FBI join UNT in the ranks of mitochondrial DNA testers.

Once a person is reported missing, a family member can report the case to a law enforcement officer, who can collect a reference DNA sample from the relative by swabbing the inside of his or her cheek. The sample is then shipped to a DNA testing facility like UNT.

"We send DNA collection kits to law enforcement agencies around the country, and only law officers can collect DNA samples and send them to us," says Stephen Gammon, Administrator of UNT's System Center for Human Identification.

Once a DNA sample reaches the laboratory, it is analyzed and entered into a database called CODIS, which also contains DNA samples taken from human remains. Right now, UNT is holding and analyzing about 1,000 human remains.

Large efforts are being made in order to make DNA testing easier and more commonly practiced. In 2003, President Bush pledged $1 billion to a 5 year DNA initiative, and in Texas, state law requires that family members of "high risk" missing persons provide DNA reference samples.

Making Progress in DNA Testing

The process of identifying human remains is extremely tedious. According to Gammon, there are currently 11 scientists working at UNT's DNA identification lab.

"It takes a long time, usually several months, for us to identify human remains, because the DNA in the human remains is often partially disintegrated. Sometimes, we aren't able to identify human remains because the person's family never submitted a reference sample," says Gammon.

There are other complications that lead to problems in the DNA identification system, particularly a lack of coordination among the four federal DNA databases, which include CODIS. These databases need to be streamlined and combined, in order to allow more DNA matches to be made. If a DNA sample from an unidentified body is entered into CODIS, and it matches the DNA from a sample entered into the National Crime Information Center database, the match will go undiscovered, because the two databases do not share information.

Despite flaws in the federal database system, DNA testing has been successful in many cases. To date, UNT forensics experts have made 93 positive identifications, five of which were cold hits. In addition, two murder convictions have been made as a result of positive identification.

Gammon says that one particularly notable case solved by the laboratory at UNT was that of Marcy Bachman, a runaway who was murdered by Wayne Nance and whose skeletal remains were discovered in Missoula, Mont. in 1984.

"Marcelle's parents sent us a reference sample, and after several months, we were able to match their DNA to the bones sent to us by the Missoula police," Gammon says.

Thanks to more funding, DNA testing can make great strides in helping the families of missing persons and keeping criminals off the streets.

What an eye opener, Kelly! I am most stunned that DNA samples are only retrieved from 15 percent of human remains that are found. This, along with many other facts you stated is overwhelming and indicates some serious need for change. Thank you for being part of the solution for positive change in this field. I am slowly downloading the DNA audio's, and I recommend that each of us send it to LE and learn it for themselves. Knowledge truly is power and it can bring results. I have a pre-vet(same as pre-med) background which included DNA info, and I have always been interested in all things science/medical. So, this is a good refresher and addition to my understanding. I do hope that this spreads like wildfire to LE throughout the nation.

Lion

The 40-50K estimate of unidentified remains in this country also do NOT include the ones that are already buried or cremated. It is of utmost importance that LE, the families, and ME's and coroners start following the procedures as outlined in our Campaign for the Missing legislation NOW, otherwise, those of us who live in the not knowing, may remain in that state for the rest of our lives.

Thank you for passing this along!

Kelly said:

The 40-50K estimate of unidentified remains in this country also do NOT include the ones that are already buried or cremated. It is of utmost importance that LE, the families, and ME's and coroners start following the procedures as outlined in our Campaign for the Missing legislation NOW, otherwise, those of us who live in the not knowing, may remain in that state for the rest of our lives.

Thank you for passing this along!

Click to expand...

Yes, Kelly, and that is what pains me. I cannot imagine not knowing where or what happened to someone I love. When I was 11 I had a dove named, Alpha, and I loved her dearly. She was fully tame and imprinted on me. I used to take her with me on my walks to the lake(not knowing better). One day a large dog ran up to me, barked, and Alpha flew off in fear. She was not at all prepared to be out on her own, and I never found her. Every day after school and on weekends for five straight months I looked for her. Every time I saw a dove sized bird fly into my line of site I momentarily thought it was her. I never found her. If I felt that way for my beloved pet bird, I can only imagine what it would be like to not know where my child, my sister, or my mother was.

I will do whatever I can to spread the word. Is there anything else in particular that I can do?

Lion

I am hoping that within the next month, we will launch an email campaign in regards to this. Before we do that, however, we have to obtain some official text and approval from the CHI. One of our main contacts there is out for a few weeks, thus the delay. When we do this, we will most likely have a volunteer team helping with it.

Thank you.

This is great, Kelly! I believe that through this some cases may be solved, and that is very important for families of the missing and for other reasons. Have you got a volunteer support system set up?

Lion

LionRun said:

This is great, Kelly! I believe that through this some cases may be solved, and that is very important for families of the missing and for other reasons. Have you got a volunteer support system set up?

Lion

Click to expand...

Not yet. I will do that once we get some other related things lined up. I will defintely check back in with you. Thanks!

USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-06-10-unidentified-remains_N.htm

06/10/06

Bills would require DNA help in missing person cases

SALEM, Ore. — Their faces were everywhere — first on fliers passed out in their hometown, then on billboards and even on the cover of People Magazine and in constant rotation on CNN.

After months of searching, the bodies of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis, classmates and fellow dance squad members from Oregon City, were found in August 2002, buried in a sadistic neighbor's backyard. They would have graduated from high school this month.

Now their mothers have joined with other families across the nation who don't know if spouses and siblings are dead or alive to press for passage of laws requiring police to expand their searches in missing person cases.

Their proposal — which is under consideration by legislators in Oregon, Connecticut, Indiana and New Jersey — centers on the nearly 50,000 unidentified bodies that are held at morgues across the country while an estimated 105,000 missing persons cases remain open.

Under the bill, police would be directed to send DNA samples from bodies that remain unidentified after 30 days to a central laboratory, where they'd be entered into a national database for comparison to missing-persons cases. Families could submit their own DNA samples for loved ones who have been missing for more than a month.

Similar legislation is already in place in Colorado, Washington state and the District of Columbia, said Kelly Jolkowski, one of the founders of the Campaign for the Missing, whose 19-year-old son Jason disappeared without a trace six years ago from their home in Nebraska. Future campaigns are being organized in Missouri, New York, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, she said.

"How do I know some body in some morgue somewhere isn't my son, and they just didn't get the DNA from his body, so I will never know?" Jolkowski asked. "Families can go for years and maybe forever without an answer because these processes are not in place, and they should be."

Lending her name to the bill has made some painful memories flood back, said Lori Pond. In the earliest days of her daughter's disappearance, police thought 12-year-old Ashley Pond might be a runaway and she had to print her own fliers and hand them out on the streets of their hometown.

"There are times it brings up the loss of my daughter, but I am hoping for good to come out of all of this," Pond said.

Michelle Duffy, mother of 13-year-old Miranda Gaddis, said that in one way she and Pond were lucky, since their daughters' cases drew the national spotlight and, when the girls' bodies were found, positive identification took less than 24 hours.

Hundreds of other families never get the same kind of resolution, she said.

"If the kids wouldn't have disappeared in the same way, from the same place, no one would have cared," Duffy said. "If it weren't for Miranda disappearing, you never would have heard Ashley's name and that's sad."

Without identification, Jolkowski said, bodies may be buried in pauper's graves, or cremated, lost to a family forever.

This is a repost of information, however all of the links have changed and I cannot edit an old post. We were also finding that many people did not forward this notice to LE, family members, coroners, and medical examiners they know, so it's certainly worth a repost for that reason alone. Thank you.



Dear Families, Supporters, and Friends of Project Jason,

We are pleased to announce that we have begun to provide law enforcement (LE) training by professional instructors, available in the form of audio files. These audio files can be accessed 24 hours a day on our website at http://www.projectjason.org/training.html There is no charge to utilize this training.

We began our ongoing series with a 4-part program about DNA and CODIS as it pertains to solving missing persons cases. As you know, it is critical that LE make use of the available technologies and systems in place. Obtaining DNA samples from the family members of missing persons (or DNA from the missing persons themselves) in an attempt to match them to DNA from unidentified remains is one method of finding the answers about our missing loves ones, resolving cold cases, and solving crimes.

Our guests for the DNA training are Dr. Arthur Eisenberg and George Adams from the Center for Human Identification (CHI) at North Texas University. Dr. Eisenberg pioneered much of today's DNA testing protocol and is one of the world's leading DNA scientists. "First and foremost, there never should be a human remain, a skeletal remain of anyone's loved one that would be buried or cremated without the retention of a DNA sample for analysis. If those samples are in CODIS, there's always a chance." Dr. Eisenberg stated.

George Adams is the LE liaison for the CHI, has many years of law enforcement experience and regularly conducts training for the CHI. "Once you enter a sample into CODIS, you're not working within your jurisdiction, you're working within the jurisdictions of everyone entering samples into CODIS", said George Adams. "You are bringing in so much power into your investigation. It is explosive. If we can get everyone to do this, these samples will be matched, they will be made, and the sooner we match them the sooner the law enforcement can identify who the perpetrator is, and take him off the streets."

More detailed biographies along with the audio training files can be found on the Law Enforcement Training page at http://www.projectjason.org/training.html

Each audio segment is approximately 30 minutes long.


Topics covered in the DNA training modules:

History and types of DNA

Best practices for obtaining DNA samples

CODIS and State Databases

Importance of Chain of Custody

CHI Services

The nationwide crisis and the need for these processes to become standard procedure

While this information will be helpful for the families of the missing and organizations which serve them, the main goal is to disseminate this information to LE. You may feel free to forward this email to all interested persons. For families of the missing and organizations which serve them, all 4 parts will be of interest, but there are several messages of hope and encouragement in the last section. Working together, we can accomplish so much. There is always hope!

If you have a missing loved one, and do not have either their DNA in CODIS or yours, Part II discusses steps for you, and then your LE, to take.

Quick technical tips for playing audio files:

Double-clicking on the audio file on the site will download it to your PC. It may begin to play nearly immediatetely, or may take several minutes to download, depending upon which audio players you have on your PC and how you have them set up.

You can also download the files to a MP-3 player or an IPOD.

Note: Persons using dial-up internet may encounter difficulties in playing the files.

Direct links to the audio files:

Part I:
http://www.projectjason.org/audio/DNATrainingbyCHIPart1.mp3

Part II:
http://www.projectjason.org/audio/DNATrainingbyCHIPart2.mp3

Part III:
http://www.projectjason.org/audio/DNATrainingbyCHIPart3.mp3

Part IV:
http://www.projectjason.org/audio/DNATrainingbyCHIPart4.mp3

Direct links for the biographies and CHI contact information for LE:
http://www.projectjason.org/eisenberg.html
http://www.projectjason.org/adams.html

We will add more LE training on a regular basis covering a variety of topics.

Please forward this notice to interested persons, including law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, and other families of missing persons.

Kelly Jolkowski, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
http://www.projectjason.org
Free Online Counseling for Families of the Missing
http://www.projectjason.org/benefits.html#healingHarbor