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Ashcroft

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced Wednesday that the Justice Department would issue grants to state governments as part of a plan to clear up the backlog of DNA samples waiting to be tested.

Ashcroft described DNA evidence as a powerful "truth machine" that can positively identify the perpetrators of a crime and eliminate innocent people as suspects.

"DNA identification technology is one of the most important tools law enforcement has developed since the advent of fingerprinting," Ashcroft said.

But he said that backlogs and unacceptable delays in testing DNA samples limits the technology's effectiveness.

Ashcroft said that the average DNA sample is not tested until six months to a year after it is collected, and that in some cases, the statute of limitations for prosecuting a case expires before the tests are completed. He said about 180,000 rape kits collected from victims of sexual assaults are waiting to be tested.

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"This is a missed opportunity that is creating additional victims of brutal crimes," he said.

Ashcroft said the Justice Department will award more than $30 million in grants to help the states clear up that backlog:

-- $16 million will go for analyzing about 500,000 DNA samples collected from convicted offenders.

-- $15 million will be used to analyze DNA from crime scenes where there is no known suspect.

The Justice Department will also make information from the database of federal offenders available to the states and improve the FBI's Combined DNA Index System to give state investigators instant access to its database.

Ashcroft said the Justice Department will also conduct a study to find out how to make the testing more efficient and reduce the backlog.

DNA genetic material is different for each individual. Samples from a crime scene can be compared to suspects' DNA to either link them to the crime or rule them out.

Ashcroft said the delay in testing samples has led to offenders being freed to commit new crimes.

He cited a case in Virginia where police arrested a man on shoplifting charges who also was suspected of raping and stabbing a woman. The man was released because a DNA test was not completed and went on to rape and kill another woman 11 days later.

Ashcroft said it was also unacceptable that innocent people have been held for months while waiting to be cleared by DNA testing.