British privacy experts have given more warning about DNA databases, claiming that it is in danger of turning innocent people into criminals.  It also warns that over one million records should be destroyed.

The database was originally a register of those convicted of a crime. But under laws quietly passed by Labour, anybody arrested for a serious offence and later cleared can have their genetic data stored for life.

The inquiry, overseen by the Human Genetics Commission, made a series of criticisms about the operation of the database. Most striking is the recommendation for the DNA of all innocents, including children, to be deleted. The panel, which took evidence from leading DNA experts and police, said: ‘Retaining the sample criminalises the innocent.’

A majority of the panel, which received a £50,000 Government grant, also ruled that there should be no universal DNA database, and that the ethnicity of a suspect should not be recorded. When children are found guilty of a crime, they should remain in the database for only a limited period, the panel said.

A sliding scale was suggested for adults who commit minor offences, with samples removed after a minimum of five years.

While it had originally been said that, by keeping everyone’s DNA, more crimes would be solved, this simply hasn’t been the case.

…the Home Office admits that almost all of the offenders convicted under the cold-case programme have proved to be persistent and prolific violent criminals whose DNA would be on the database anyway.’

Criminalizing people in this manner will only force people to hate the police more than they already do.  Those sitting on the fence will, most likely, move over to not helping the police, and any good will the police have worked for in the community will be gone.

The most shocking part of this entire story is that there are still government officials and regular people (read the comments) that think taking people’s DNA at birth is a good idea.  It’s really amazing that people still believe in the “nothing to hide nothing to fear” scenario.