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Nebraska making progress on getting prisoners' DNA samples

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska prison officials have reduced to 13 the number of inmates who have refused to give DNA samples, down from 78 reported in February.

The Nebraska Correctional Services Department said in a news release Thursday that an order to use force was sought from the sentencing judge in four of the 78 cases. Three of the four complied with the directive. One didn't, so state officials used force.

State law says anyone convicted of a felony or other specified offense as of July 15, 2010, who didn't already have a sample in the state DNA Sample Bank, was required to have one collected at his or her expense. The law also applied to people already imprisoned.

The Omaha World-Herald originally reported in April that the 78 inmates had simply declined.

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