Gov. tells officials to retain parole records after documents on slaying suspect destroyed

cox news ^ | 3-9-10 | Associated Press

[cajuncow]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Associated Press) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday ordered California corrections officials to keep sex offenders' parole records indefinitely after he learned the files of a man now charged with killing a 17-year-old girl had been destroyed.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation disclosed the documents on John Albert Gardner III had been destroyed in a response Friday to a records request by The Associated Press.

[Drew68]

I hope they can link this guy to Amber Dubois’ murder as well. I’d hate to think we have a second murderous psychopath pedophile running loose here in San Diego.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Investigators’ files are among the most valuable documents in any investigation. They often contain information that will become valuable in the future and not necessarily for that specific investigation.

I’ve seen classified investigators files re internal security subjects and I wish I could get them published. THe American people would be shocked to see what is in them on politicians from the past 50 years or so. Some Democrats would crap in their pants if these records were released, which is why there were various attempts to destroy them.

Also, an investigator’s notes often tell the reader how he/she approached an investigation, what clues or sources did they chose over others, to follow, etc.

I’ve been in investigations of various types for over 40 years and my instinct, based on years of experience and education, are often put into my notes for future researchers/investigators. Sometimes they pay off big, as in saving the taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in govt pay-outs which are based on fraudulent claims and lawsuits.

These records must be preserved and redacted properly, but made available to the public when possible.

[livius]

They’ve already linked him to her killing.

[livius]

Very interesting. Who creates the policies on retaining or destroying these records?

I always assumed they were kept for a really, really long time (at least until everybody in them could reasonably be presumed to be dead), but this is evidently not the case.