Lovely! When asked about how many people that have not been convicted of a criminal offence exist on the National DNA database, the Government said that it had no idea because the database has no means of cross-referencing with the police national computer (PNC).
The DNA database has well over a million entries, is growing at a rate of around 45,000 per month, and the only way to know if the entries are of innocent people is to manually cross-reference which they're not going to do because it costs too much.
The bottom line thus seems to be that the database will keep growing, and if you're on it and innocent then it's tough because the Government is not going to actively do anything about it.
Friday, October 12, 2007
How many innocent people are there on the DNA database?
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7 comments:
The government wants us all on the database and are aware that most people won't even be bothered. We all should be. But just in case there is a movement to get the innocent off, I can't help thinking that this is a ploy so they can say:
'This will be techically impossible.'
Surely any normal database designer would include a field to say why the record was there - suspect, witness, voluntary, etc.
Isn't everyone who is arrested put on?
With the notable exceptions of those arrested in the Labour corruption probe.
I think I am right in saying that before 2000 people not charged had to be removed, but now under "terrorism" legislation one is kept on forever.
Ed - no it's better than that.
Before 2000, they were *supposed* to be removed if not charged. However, they kept them anyway, illegally.
The government later changed the law to allow samples to be kept whether you were charged or not.
Nice eh? If you're caught breaking the rules, just change 'em.
How long will it be before some perfectly innocent individual is harrassed by the state or even convicted either because their DNA happens to match that at a crime scene, or even because of an administrative blunder (DNA profile filed under the wrong J Smith). The science may be precise, but the government does not have a great record with error-free systems.
Alex that is my main worry. I once has my mobile disconnected because some goon at the company had filed my IMEI number on someone else's account so when that person had their phone stolen mine got blocked. I had to threaten with will all sorts before they even admitted a problem existed.
The same could easily happen with a database holding 60 million+ records. That is also one of my issues with ID cards. A system which requires thought to enforce will always be better than a whizz-bang system which takes decision making away from a responsible person.
Alex said...
How long will it be before some perfectly innocent individual is harrassed by the state or even convicted either because their DNA happens to match that at a crime scene, or even because of an administrative blunder
Already happened at least once..
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpool-news/Fingered.1361138.jp
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