Captain Juan Vucetich a young Argentinian police captain changed forensic science forever with the first use of fingerprint evidence left at the crime scene (latent fingerprint) to solve the dual murder of two young children.

A young woman was found sexually assaulted and murdered in a small town near Leicester, United Kingdom. After an intensive police investigation the case remained unsolved. Three years later, under similar circumstance and in a nearby town, another young woman was sexually assaulted and murdered.

A suspect was eventually identified in the second case. Police investigators sent samples of forensic evidence from both crime scenes and a sample of the suspect's blood to Dr. Alec Jeffreys, a prominent British scientist conducting research in evolution using DNA. Dr. Jeffreys was able to tell the police two things:

1. The DNA evidence collected at both crime scenes came from the same person (thereby linking the crime scenes together and identifying a serial offender); and
2. The suspect's DNA did not match the DNA evidence from the crime scenes and the first prominent use of forensic DNA evidence led to an exoneration of an individual who confessed to the crime.

Blood samples were later taken from more than 4500 men in the surrounding communities. A DNA match was found, and one man was convicted of both murders/sexual assaults.

In early April, the RCMP first used DNA analysis in an investigation of a sexual assault in Ottawa, Ontario. The victim visually identified her assailant but the suspect denied any involvement in the sexual assault. DNA analysis later confirmed the suspect was the perpetrator. In mid trial but after the DNA evidence was presented, the suspect suddenly changed his plea to guilty.

Bill C-104 receives Royal Assent. The Bill amends the Criminal Code and the Young Offenders Act to enable a judge to issue a warrant allowing police to obtain DNA evidence from suspects in a criminal investigation. This is Phase I of the Government of Canada's DNA Strategy, which provided the legislative framework for the use of DNA evidence in criminal proceedings.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) joins hundreds of other organizations across the country in urging the government to create a National DNA Data Bank.

Phase ll of the Government of Canada's DNA Strategy begins with nation-wide consultations for the establishment of a National DNA Data Bank.

Bill C-104 is tabled in theHouse of Commons. The Bill was to enable creation of a National DNA Data Bank. The Bill is referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights before Second Reading, but dies on the Order Paper when an election is called in June.

Bill S-10 is tabled in the House of Commons. Based on Senate recommendations, the Bill contains amendments to Bill C-3 including: the taking of fingerprints for identification purposes, the inclusion of designated offenders convicted in the military justice system, and a full legislative review after five years, to be conducted by the Senate and the House of Commons.

2000
June

2005 May

Royal Assent to Bill C-13. Amendments expand the retroactive scheme; clarify National DNA Data Bank of profile sharing procedures with canadian forensic laboratories and establish procedures to confirm the validity of the National DNA Data Bank orders. Other provisions of the Bill will come into force on proclamation.

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