In an effort to put New York "on the cutting edge of criminal justice," Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed expanding the state's DNA databank, a move that is supported by the New York State Sheriff's Association, The Associated press reported.

Students earning a criminal justice degree or an online criminal justice degree likely will have an education more focused on DNA due to evolving technology that makes the matter more important than ever in solving a variety of crimes. The NYSSA advocates the expanded DNA bank to include all misdemeanor convictions under the penal code as well as all felony convictions under all other statues, such as traffic and business laws.

Not only will the expanded bank help close cases, but it also could help investigators exonerate the innocent. According to the governor's office, the state's current bank includes just half of all criminals in the state, but it still has provided leads in more than 2,700 convictions and 27 exonerations. Warren County District Attorney Kathleen Hogan told the Saratogian that the limited bank is akin to a doctor using medicine that can cure patients in just half the cases.

“We’d never tolerate that,” she said. “We’d say it’s preposterous. It’s exceptionally preposterous that we don’t have all-crimes’ DNA.”