National DNA databases like the one CrimTrac operates have been major successes in a number of countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand. DNA databases have been a significant investigative tool in the fight against crime.
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The world's first national criminal DNA database was established in the United Kingdom in April 1995, following a Royal Commission into the criminal justice system. Police in the UK have used the database as an investigative tool to help solve a wide range of crimes including murder, rape, sexual assault, robbery, burglary and arson and have almost doubled their clearance rate for volume crimes such as house burglary, and motor vehicle offences.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/using-science/dna-database/
The FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) commenced operations in October 1998. All states, along with the Federal Government, have implemented laws to collect DNA profiles from convicted offenders and place them on a database.