Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes > Chapter 844G - Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• Combined DNA Index System: means the FBI's program of support for criminal justice DNA databases as well as the software used to run these databases. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
• Department: means the department of the attorney general. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• DNA: means deoxyribonucleic acid. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• DNA analysis: refers to the following process:

  (1) The taking of DNA samples from evidence containing DNA from a known individual or DNA of unknown origin;

  (2) The isolation of DNA to develop DNA profiles; and

  (3) The determination of the DNA test results. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1

• Eligible: means in compliance with the FBI's specific requirements for a state's participation in the National DNA Index System, pursuant to the federal DNA Identification Act, title 34 U. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Law enforcement agency: means a county police department. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Medical forensic examination: means an examination provided to a victim of a suspected sexual assault by a health care provider to address medical concerns resulting from the sexual assault and to collect and preserve evidence that may be used in a police investigation and any subsequent prosecution. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Sexual assault evidence collection kit: means a kit that contains a human biological specimen or specimens collected by a health care provider during a medical forensic examination from the victim of a suspected criminal sexual offense. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Status: refers to the location, date, and time that a sexual assault evidence collection kit is transferred within the chain of custody. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• unreported kit: means a sexual assault evidence collection kit for a case in which:

  (1) The victim chose not to report a sexual offense to a law enforcement agency; or

  (2) The victim reported a sexual offense to a law enforcement agency and a formal complaint was generated; but the complaint was subsequently withdrawn at the victim's request. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 844G-1