F. v. BrownF. v. Brown
Opinion of the Court by
Appellants are juveniles adjudicated public offenders for various sex offenses.
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They argue that the 2002 versions of Kentucky’s DNA sampling statutes
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do not require them to submit DNA for inclusion in a state and national database. Appel
BACKGROUND
In 1992, the General Assembly passed an act
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creating a “centralized database of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) identification records for convicted criminals, crime scene specimens, missing persons, and close biological relatives of missing persons[,]” which “shall be compatible with the procedures set forth in a national DNA identification index to ensure data exchange on a national level[.]”
to assist federal, state, and local criminal justice and law enforcement agencies within and outside the Commonwealth in the identification, detection, or exclusion of individuals who are subjects of the investigation or prosecution of sex-related crimes, violent crimes, or other crimes and the identification and location of missing and unidentified persons.
As part of the same 1992 act,
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the General Assembly also permitted the collection of DNA samples from those convicted of certain felonies, codified at
In 2001, the Court of Appeals in
J.D.K. v. Commonwealth
held that juveniles adjudicated public offenders did not fall within the purview of
In the next regular legislative session following
J.D.K,
the General Assembly passed House Bill 4.
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The bill made slight modifications to the language of
On December 20, 2005, Appellee, DJJ Commissioner Bridget Skaggs Brown, issued a General Directive establishing a procedure for the sampling of DNA from juvenile public offenders. However, Brown issued another Directive 8 days later, postponing DNA sampling for a minimum of 30 days.
On February 1, 2006, DJJ issued Policy DJJ 138, which provided procedures for DNA sampling of adjudicated public offenders “as mandated by
Appellants filed a petition for a writ of prohibition and declaration of rights in Franklin Circuit Court on February 15, 2006. The circuit court ordered the case to be briefed in the same manner as an administrative appeal. Additionally, Appel-lee filed a motion for summary judgment. On October 26, 2006, the circuit court entered a 14-page Order granting judgment in favor of Appellee and DJJ. The Court of Appeals affirmed. This Court then granted discretionary review.
ANALYSIS
Appellants present four issues for review: (I) whether DJJ erroneously applied the DNA sampling statutes to juvenile public offenders, (II) whether DNA sampling violates Appellants’ federal and state constitutional rights, (III) whether DJJ violated KRS Chapter 13A by failing to issue administrative regulations concerning DNA sampling, and (IV) whether DJJ violated final action by the Justice Cabinet by issuing its own Directives and policies.
I. DJJ Correctly Applied The DNA Sampling Statutes To Juvenile Public Offenders
Appellants argue that the Franklin Circuit Court and the Court of Appeals misconstrued the DNA sampling statutes.
Any person convicted on or after July 14, 1992, of a felony offense under KRS Chapter 510 [sex offenses] orKRS 530.020 [incest], shall, or who is in the custody of the Department of Corrections on July 14,1992, under KRS Chapter 510 orKRS 530.020 may, have a sample of blood, an oral swab, or sample obtained through a noninvasive procedure taken by the Department of Corrections for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) law enforcement identification purposes and inclusion in law enforcement identification databases.
Any person convicted on or after July 15, 2002, or who is in the custody of the Department of Corrections on or after July 15, 2002, for a violation ofKRS 530.064 [unlawful transaction with a minor in the first degree], 531.310 [use of a minor in a sexual performance], or 531.320 [promoting a sexual performance by a minor] or a felony attempt to commit one (1) of these offenses shall be subject to the provisions ofKRS 17.170 relating to the collection and retention of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence.
Any person convicted on or after July 15, 2002, or who is in the custody of the Department of Corrections on or after July 15, 2002, for a violation ofKRS 511.020 [first-degree burglary] or 511.030 [second-degree burglary] or a felony attempt to commit one of these offenses shall be subject to the provisions ofKRS 17.170 relating to the collection and retention of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence.
KRS 17.171 and 17.172 shall apply to a public offender adjudicated a public offender or in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice on or after July 15, 2002, for any offense defined inKRS 17.170 or 17.171 or an attempt to commit one (1) of the named offenses.
The Court of Appeals held that
Appellee argues that
We begin with general principles of statutory construction. In construing a statute, our goal is to give effect to the intent of the General Assembly.
Richardson v. Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Gov’t,
We must also presume that the legislature did not intend an absurd result.
Workforce Dev. Cabinet v. Gaines,
The General Assembly enacted House Bill 4 at the first regular legislative session following
J.D.K.,
in which the Court of Appeals held that
Appellants also argue that the DNA sampling statutes, as applied by DJJ, are inconsistent with the purpose and language of Kentucky’s Unified Juvenile Code. We have explained:
It has been a principle theory of juvenile law that an individual should not be stigmatized with a criminal record for acts committed during minority. By providing young people with treatment oriented facilities rather than simple punishment, antisocial behavior can be modified and the offenders will develop as law abiding citizens.
Jefferson County Dep’t for Human Serv. v. Carter,
The General Assembly is presumed to be aware of the Juvenile Code and its purpose when it chose to enact House Bill 4.
Shewmaker v. Commonwealth,
Under principles of statutory construction, we hold that the 2002 version of
II. DNA Sampling As Conducted By DJJ Does Not Violate Appellants’ Federal Or State Constitutional Rights
Appellants argue that DNA sampling violates their right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment and Section 10 of the Kentucky Constitution. They also argue that DNA sampling violates their right to privacy and their due process rights.
A. Fourth Amendment
Appellants argue that DNA sampling violates their rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The collection and analysis of biological samples constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment.
Skinner v. Ry. Labor Executives’ Ass’n,
Ordinarily, for a search to be reasonable, it must be based on probable cause.
New Jersey v. T.L.O.,
1. The Proper Test
This Court has not previously applied the Fourth Amendment to DNA sampling
Other courts have applied the “special needs” test. This test requires courts to first ask whether the search serves some need beyond the normal needs of law enforcement.
See Griffin v. Wisconsin,
While some courts have continued to apply the less stringent traditional Fourth Amendment analysis to DNA sampling, several U.S. Supreme Court cases have called that approach into question. In
City of Indianapolis v. Edmond,
the Court evaluated the constitutionality of random police checkpoints established for the purpose of interdicting illegal drugs.
In
Ferguson v. City of Charleston,
the Court held unconstitutional a hospital policy of testing pregnant women’s urine for cocaine.
Edmond
and
Ferguson
applied the special needs test and noted that the searches in question (1) lacked individualized suspicion, and (2) were for the purpose of a general interest in crime control.
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Ferguson
further distinguished between the immediate objective and the ultimate goal of a search, with the immediate objective being relevant for determining whether the
We read
Edmond, Ferguson,
and
Samson
as requiring application of the more stringent special needs test to cases involving suspicionless searches, except in certain cases involving the diminished expectation of privacy that comes with a criminal conviction.
See Nicholas,
2. Application of the Special Needs Test
Applying the special needs test, we first ask whether the search serves some need beyond the normal needs of law enforcement. If such a need exists, then that need must then be balanced against Appellants’ privacy interests.
a. Special needs apart from ordinary law enforcement
Appellants argue that DNA sampling is for law enforcement purposes, and thus does not fall within the special needs exception. As Appellants note,
Under the special needs test, law enforcement objectives violate the Fourth Amendment when the primary purpose is “indistinguishable from the general interest in crime control.... ”
Edmond,
Instead, the primary purpose of the DNA database is “to assist ... law enforcement agencies ... in the identification, detection, or exclusion of individuals who are subjects of the investigation or prosecution of sex-related crimes, violent crimes, or other crimes and the identification and location of missing and unidentified persons.”
In this respect, a DNA database differs significantly from the programs at issue in
Edmond
and
Ferguson.
In those cases, the programs were designed to obtain evidence of a crime. Unlike the urine samples in
Ferguson,
which contained evidence of the use of illegal drugs, a DNA sample is not by itself evidence of any crime. It merely provides identifying information that can be compared to physical evidence.
See Nicholas,
b. Balancing test
Having determined that DNA sampling serves a special need beyond a general interest in crime control, we must now evaluate Appellants’ privacy interests against the state’s interest in creating and maintaining a DNA database. The state’s interest is obvious. It has an interest in assisting law enforcement in investigating and solving crimes where DNA evidence is present.
See
Generally, DNA sampling of convicted persons and adjudicated juveniles has been upheld as constitutional under the Fourth Amendment. Appellants argue that those cases dealing with adult offenders are inapplicable because juveniles are different from adult felons for purposes of balancing their privacy interests. Further, Appellants argue that those cases dealing with juvenile offenders 14 either failed to take into account the unique status of juveniles, or are of little value because of the “uniquely rehabilitative focus” of Kentucky’s juvenile code.
Under the Kentucky Unified Juvenile Code, juvenile offenders are indeed treated differently than adult offenders. Juvenile offenders are not “convicted,” and they are not to be deemed criminals.
“Juvenile offenders are not afforded all the constitutional rights that adult offenders receive. They are afforded only the right to fair treatment.”
Carter,
Nor does collecting a DNA sample contravene the purposes of the juvenile code. The General Assembly has identified reducing recidivism and providing treatment while maintaining public safety as goals of the juvenile code.
Appellants also argue that the “uniquely rehabilitative focus” of Kentucky’s juvenile code distinguishes it from other states where DNA sampling of juveniles has been upheld. In In re Lakisha M., the Illinois Supreme Court considered a similar argument in the context of the search and seizure provision of the Illinois Constitution. The juvenile noted that Illinois, as home to the nation’s first juvenile court, had “unique history and values when it comes to the treatment of juvenile offenders....” Id. at 581. The Court concluded that “collection and storage of DNA pursuant to our indexing statute has a deterrent and rehabilitative effect that actually advances the goals” of the juvenile code. Id. For the reasons stated above, we believe this statement applies to Kentucky’s juvenile code as well.
In short, the privacy interests of juveniles adjudicated public offenders, while greater than those of convicted adults, still do not outweigh the state’s and DJJ’s legitimate interests in establishing and maintaining a DNA database. Appellants’ Fourth Amendment challenge must fail.
B. Right to Privacy, Due Process, and State Constitutional Rights
Appellants argue that DNA sampling violates their rights under Section 10 of the Kentucky Constitution (the state counterpart to the Fourth Amendment). In this particular case, we see no reason to interpret Section 10 differently from the Fourth Amendment.
See LaFollette v. Commonwealth,
Appellants also argue that DNA sampling violates their privacy and due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Sections 1, 2, and 11 of the Kentucky Constitution. The Kentucky Constitution has been held to “offer greater protection of the right of privacy than provided by the Federal Constitution as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court....”
Commonwealth v. Wasson,
III. DJJ Did Not Violate KRS Chapter 13A By Issuing Directives And Policies In Lieu Of Administrative Regulations
Appellants argue that, by issuing internal Directives, but not issuing administrative regulations, DJJ violated administrative procedures prescribed by KRS Chapter 13A.
Subject to limitations in applicable statutes, any administrative body which is empowered to promulgate administrative regulations shall, by administrative regulation prescribe, consistent with applicable statutes:
(1) Each statement of general applicability, policy, procedure, memorandum, or other form of action that im-jolements; interprets; prescribes law or policy; describes the organization, procedure, or practice requirements of any administrative body; or affects private rights or procedures available to the public ....
(emphasis added).
In addition, “[a]n administrative body may promulgate administrative regulations to implement a statute
only when the act of the General Assembly creating or amending the statute specifically authorizes the promulgation of administrative regulations
or administrative regulations are required by federal law....”
The 2002 version of
If the General Assembly had authorized DJJ by statute to issue administrative regulations regarding DNA sampling, then such regulations would likely have been required.
See Bowling v.Kentucky Dep’t of Corrections,
IV. DJJ Did Not Violate Final Action By The Justice Cabinet By Issuing Directives And Policies Instituting DNA Sampling
In 2002,
CONCLUSION
Former
Notes
. Petitioner I and Petitioner L, appellants in the Court of Appeals, were adjudicated public offenders for burglary offenses. They prevailed in the Court of Appeals on their claims that DNA sampling could not be applied to them. This Court granted a motion to dismiss them from this appeal.
. Appellants challenge
. 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 175, § 2.
. 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 175, § 1.
. 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 334, § 4.
. 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 154.
.
. 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 182, § 2 (amending
On February 25, 2009, the Franklin Circuit Court declared the 2008 bill void because it was unconstitutionally enacted.
Petitioner A v. Haws,
No. 08-CI-1088 (Franklin Cir. Ct. Feb. 25, 2009). The General Assembly then repealed, reenacted, and amended
. Policy DJJ 138, General Directive 06-02, and General Directive 06-05 are hereinafter referred to collectively as "Directives.”
. Bracketed words within each statute are added here for clarity.
. By contrast, Appellants' interpretation of
.
See
Robin Cheryl Miller, Annotation,
Validity, Construction, and Operation of State DNA Database Statutes,
. "We are particularly reluctant to recognize exceptions to the general rule of individualized suspicion where governmental authorities primarily pursue their general crime control ends.”
Edmond,
.
See In re Leopoldo L.,
. The current version or
. The current version of the statute authorizes the Justice Cabinet to issue administra-live regulations.