By Steve Ranger, 4 January 2006 13:05
NEWS
The number of records on the UK government's DNA database has passed the three million mark, and the number of crimes solved using the profiles continues to rise.
Just over five per cent of the UK population is on the database, compared with one per cent in Austria - the second biggest user of the technology - and half a per cent in the US.
Crimes solved through DNA analysis have quadrupled over the last five years, and the number of profiles held on the database has climbed from 2.5 million in March 2004 to in excess of three million now. This is expected to grow to more than four million within a couple of years.
The number of "direct DNA detections" stood at 19,873 last year, with another 15,732 crimes detected as a result of further investigations linked to the original case in which DNA was recovered.
The database is now providing police with around 3,000 matches per month, improving their ability to solve serious crime.
More than £300m has been invested in the database programme over five years.
Home Office minister, Andy Burnham, said in a statement: "We are committed to building on this success and our main objective now is to ensure that the National DNA Database is kept up to date and that newcomers to crime and those that have so far evaded police attention have their profiles added to the National DNA Database as soon as possible."
Powers introduced in April 2004 enable the police to take and retain a DNA sample and fingerprints from persons arrested for a recordable offence. Burnham said these powers will also assist in the continuing build up of the database and provide new scope to "detect offenders at an early stage".
According to government figures, 139,463 people are on the DNA database who have not been charged or cautioned with an offence.
Comments
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1. Jeremy Wickins
The huge amount of data is available because of the UK's possibly unlawful collecting of DNA samples *on arrest*, not on charge. Just getting lifted by the police on mere suspicion of a crime requires that you submit to giving your DNA, and it is a criminal offence to refuse. There is no way to get your DNA removed from the database, even if you are not charged, or found not guilty in court. The police and government say that this is justified in the fight against crime, but very few police officers believe in the efficiency of the service enough to give their own DNA samples for exclusion purposes!
As far as I am aware, no other country in the EU provides such a wide net to collect DNA, hence the large difference between the UK and Austria.
2. anonymous
They can have mine...
... but then I've got nothing to hide. I don't commit crimes.
And I'm too busy to bleat about 'civil liberties'.
The only liberties that interest me is removing them from those members of our society who, of their own free will and volition, decide NOT to abide by a few simple rules that the rest of us regard as normality.
3. anonymous
On those who claim that others 'bleat about Civil Liberties - nice to know you have nothing constructive to say. I see you can find time to make obscure threats against those who do not agree with you about what is 'normal'.
Perhaps this fleeting glimpse of your vision of normality is quite enough to explain to most why no-one should have the right to personal data or DNA without consent or due process. In Scotland DNA collected for elimination purposes is destroyed after use and the public do come forward, would they if this was a forced activity with long term consequences? Do principles of trust and co-operation escape your mindset?
While you are welcome to your fantasy of righteousness I am very glad you will probably never find the time to promote the idea that no-one can be reasonable or should have any say in access to their personal data unless they agree with you and the price of a different point of view is a loss of basic human rights.
What happens to you when someone higher up the tree disagrees with you?
4. EBGB
To Anonymous from the Midlands - if you care so little for your civil liberties, why then post anonymously?
I'm far less scared of people abusing details of my identify than I am of them abusing details of my genetic makeup. Just because I don't commit crimes it doesn't mean that I'm happy for all and sundry to know what I'm made from. Nor do I see why it's necessary. There may be no harm in the information being available now, but what's to say someone won't be able to misuse it in the future? And given I couldn't get it removed from the DB once it's on there, what protection would I have then?
You and I don't commit crimes, but there's nothing to say that neither of us will never be arrested incorrectly.
5. Ian Savell
No-one is suggesting that the DNA database will be misused under the current regime, but regimes change, even in a democracy. Once th edata is there it is available to future leaders.
The self-satisfied "honest citizens" who support this move should try living as "honest citizens" in a country with a less liberal regime. Hitler was an elected leader, so is Mugabe.
Those who want to strip away our civil liberties are delighted you are too busy to notice.
6. Tim
Once upon a time finger prints were solving previously unsolvable crimes but when you were arrested and fingerprinted, if you were not charged or found not guilty your prints were removed from records. That right has gone now and they will keep your DNA to, why change? Its just another example of how the principle of innocent until proven guilty is sliding away with no real outcry and why this governments attitude to Civil Liberty is so dangerous.
I guess you have to worry about where this infortmation might end up. The gradual opening up of this data to to third parties will almost certainly come and then we enter the realms of your DNA not only determinig you guilt or inocence but also what life insurance you might be able to get. Brave new world!
7. anonymous
Ok, flame me if you want...
... that is your right under freedom of speech. And I support it.
What I don't support (and you missed the point entirely) is the fact there are two groups in our society - law abiders and law breakers; no grey area - and one of these groups is being shielded in the name of protecting the other.
What annoys me is that more and more we see the law breakers being molleycoddled and protected under the banner 'civil liberties'.
It's not me having 'my idea' of what's right and wrong. It is society's.
And it's not that I don't care or don't notice. I do.
I notice that rapists, murderers, buglars and muggers are getting away with it. And I care that we let them.
And when we have the chance to build a database of their DNA what happens...?
8. anonymous
... and I didn't make threats
...obscure or otherwise.
Removing miscreants' liberty (sending them to prison) has been around for centuries.
So what's wrong with suggesting it should continue?
9. my head is not in the sand
DVLA offer keeper information for a car registration number for a mere £5 - t o anyone with "due cause" to require it. This is aimed at private parking enforcers, etc
Q: How long before the DNA database starts offering DNA records for a small fee to anyone "with due cause" ?
... and how long before "due cause" becomes something trivial like accidently breaking a vase in a shop?
10. anonymous
If anonymous has nothing to hide why doesn't he/she display their name?