Innocent? We want your DNA

Despite opposition, UK Home Secretary proposes new DNA database policy

by THE GUARDIAN, AFP

04:02 PM May 08, 2009

LONDON - The genetic profiles of hundreds of thousands of innocent people are to be kept on the national DNA database for up to 12 years. But critics claim the scheme is designed to sidestep a European human rights ruling that the “blanket” retention of suspects’ data is unlawful.

The proposed new rules for the national DNA database to be put forward today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith include plans to keep the DNA profiles of innocent people who are arrested but not convicted of minor offences for six years.

The proposal would also apply to children from age 10 who are arrested but never successfully prosecuted. In cases of more serious violent and sexual crime, innocent people’s genetic codes will be kept for 12 years.

It was widely expected that the DNA profiles, samples and fingerprints of 850,000 innocent people kept on the database would be destroyed in response to the ruling by the European court of human rights last December.

But the proposals fall short of those expectations and contrast sharply with the situation in Scotland, where only the DNA profiles of suspects arrested for serious violent and sexual offences are retained for a maximum of five years.

The Home Secretary said that the DNA database, which was set up in 1995 and holds information on about 4.5 million people, was a “vital tool” in fighting crime.

“These new proposals will ensure that the right people are on it, as well as considering where people should come off,” said Ms Smith.

However, human rights groups, and opposition politicians united yesterday in expressing dismay that the Home Office had rejected that option and predicted a race to the courts to challenge the new policy.

Ms Shami Chakrabarti, head of civil liberties group Liberty, said: “Wholly innocent people - including children - will have their most intimate details stockpiled for years on a database that will remain massively out of step with the rest of the world.”

Data on jailed criminals will continue to be stored for life, but young people convicted of only one minor offence will have their DNA samples deleted when they reach 18 years of age.

Ms Smith added the database proposals would ensure that “the right people are on it, as well as considering where people should come off”.

The Home Office estimates that even this package will mean 4,500 fewer crimes each year being detected compared with the current policy of retaining indefinitely the profiles of all those arrested.

From TODAY, World – Friday, 08-May-2009