The UK’s controversial DNA database should be reformed with a new legal basis and independent supervision, says government’s independent genetics advisory body.
Although it now contains the details of five million people, many of whom have never been convicted of any crime, the database has never been formally debated by Parliament, says the Human Genetics Commission.
The commission says there are also “real concerns” about discrimination against certain ethnic groups. Its report ‘Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?’ notes that over 8% of the UK population is currently profiled on the database. But it contains the profiles of over three quarters of black men between the ages 18 and 35. Some may have been arrested purely to obtain their DNA.
The report comes after the European Court of Human Rights demanded that the government stop keeping the DNA of innocent people (the government responded by proposing to hold such DNA for ‘only’ six years).
“DNA evidence plays a significant role in bringing criminals before the courts and securing convictions. But it is not clear how far holding DNA profiles on a central database improves police investigations,” says Jonathan Montgomery, chair of the commission (press release).
“We have to strike a proper balance between identifying offenders and protecting privacy, including that of innocent people, we should not compromise that privacy without good reason.”
Montgomery’s report says the database should be established in law through new legislation in Parliament, with unambiguous definitions of how its records can be used. It also calls for new guidance on when DNA samples should be taken, and notes that one police officer said that police were now arresting people to obtain DNA when previously they may have pursued another course of action.
However, the report sidesteps the issue of retaining the DNA of “unconvicted individuals” saying that the government should support a national debate to address which of these individuals should have their profiles retained and which should not.
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