A RECORD 1000 DNA HITS WERE MADE RECENTLY THROUGH THE CAL-DNA DATA BANK, LINKING KNOWN FELONS TO OLD CRIMES. IN SEPTEMBER 110 MATCHES WERE FOUND LINKING FELONS TO OLD AND COLD CRIMINAL CASES, WHICH SET THE NEW RECORD. ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL LOCKYER SAID THAT DNA HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE WORK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, HELPING INVESTIGATORS CATCH CRIMINALS WHO THOUGHT THEY HAD GOTTEN AWAY WITH RAPES AND MURDERS COMMITTED DECADES AGO. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE ARE IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENTING FURTHER CRIMES BY USING DNA TO IDENTIFY AND PROSECUTE CRIMINALS, EXONERATE THE INNOCENT, AND BRING JUSTICE AND CLOSURE TO VICTIMS. THE CAL-DNA DATA BANK WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1994. IT OPERATES AT A 68,000 SQUARE-FOOT STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY IN RICHMOND, THAT ALSO HOUSES THE CALIFORNIA COLD HIT AND THE MISSING PERSONS DNA PROGRAMS.