This article appeared in the April 5, 2013 edition of the Austin Chronicle, written by Jordan Smith, and talks about SB 1439, sponsored by Senator Royce West, relating to Evidence Tech Certifications and consolidating evidence statutes. Here is the link to the full story:

http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2013-04-05/corralling-the-evidence/ www.austinchronicle.com

This article appeared in the Austin Chronicle on February 15, 2013, reported by Jordan Smith. It discusses issues evidence rooms are experiencing and have experienced for years relating to DNA evidence, i.e. lack of storage, lack of standardized procedures, accountability.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2013-02-15/wheres-your-evidence/

DNA for Defense Bar

This is a must-have manual for defense counsels. It tells you everything, and more, about DNA. Feel free to download the manual, at no cost.

Chapter 38.43 of the Tx Criminal Code of Procedure is under revision. Specifically, we (state committee) are more clearly defining “biological evidence”, revising statute of limitations for biological evidence, and providing “best practices” for collection, storage and disposition. And for counties of less than 100,000, biological evidence associated with unsolved felony cases (not pending trial) can be stored at Department of Public Safety, as well as post-conviction biological evidence. I will post the new revisions once they are approved (expected date of January 2013).

Property & Evidence

Storing and Securing Non-DNA Evidence

Written by John M. Vasquez

April 2, 2009

WHAT DO firearms, currency, knives and drugs all have in common when it comes to packaging and storing them in your property-and-evidence (P&E) room? The answer: Nothing. They do not have one thing in common! And the fact that they have nothing in common is the very reason why P&E rooms across the county have different protocols for packaging…    Read The full article

Police evidence rooms are ‘red-headed stepchildren’ of law enforcement, Integrity Unit told

At yesterday’s meeting of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ Criminal Justice Integrity Unit, created earlier this summer to examine proposed innocence-related reforms, John Vasquez from the Texas Association of Property and Evidence Inventory Technicians (TAPEIT) gave an interesting presentation about evidence preservation failures and the need for greater professionalism and implementation of best practices by police department property rooms. TAPEIT has about 600 active members who work in law enforcement agencies around the state, he said.     

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