European court rules DNA database breaches human rights

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 3594

Message Posted:
04/12/2008 14:30

Only DNA samples for those convicted of crimes should be kept, according to the ruling. Photograph: PA



Police forces in much of the UK could be forced to destroy the DNA details of hundreds of thousands of people with no criminal convictions, after a court ruled today that keeping them breaches human rights.



The European court of human rights in Strasbourg said that keeping innocent people's DNA records on a criminal register breached article eight of the Human Rights Convention, covering the right to respect for private and family life.



Keeping DNA material from those who were "entitled to the presumption of innocence" as they had never been convicted of an offence carried "the risk of stigmatisation", the ruling said.



Attacking the "blanket and indiscriminate nature" of the power to retain data, the judges said protections offered by article eight "would be unacceptably weakened if the use of modern scientific techniques in the criminal justice system were allowed at any

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 3594

Message Posted:
04/12/2008 14:31

cost and without carefully balancing the potential benefits of the extensive use of such techniques against important private-life interests".



The decision could oblige the government to order the destruction of DNA data belonging to those without criminal convictions among the approximately 4.5m records on the England, Wales and Northern Ireland database.



Scotland already destroys DNA samples taken during criminal investigations from people, who are eventually not charged or who are later acquitted.

rocky


Joined: 17/10/2007
Posts: 1749

Message Posted:
04/12/2008 15:41

so do we all hide in NC until they are destroyed??

Hilltop



Joined: 28/04/2008
Posts: 636

Message Posted:
04/12/2008 15:46

They have my DNA and are welcome to keep it.

PtePike



Joined: 20/05/2008
Posts: 2334

Message Posted:
04/12/2008 18:10

"Scotland already destroys DNA samples taken during criminal investigations from people, who are eventually not charged or who are later acquitted."



We also treat our pensioners, sick people, children and students in a humane and decent way. Great country.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
05/12/2008 10:36

i don't see the big issue?



if you haven't done anything wrong, it doesn't matter.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
05/12/2008 10:37

fire starter - exactly.

rocky


Joined: 17/10/2007
Posts: 1749

Message Posted:
05/12/2008 10:47

If Scotland is such a great country why do people move to England and elsewhere? In England I guess for employment money and to see decent football, well at Ipswich anyway

aweverard


Joined: 13/07/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
05/12/2008 11:53

PP Msg 5



Something has got to mitigate the climate ;)



Regards,

AWE

cruggs


Joined: 06/04/2008
Posts: 498

Message Posted:
05/12/2008 13:36

the two people, concerned had not been convicted of a criminal,act.so why should their d.n.a.be kept on a police record.i have no objection to convicted,

criminal,s d.n.a.being kept, but we are all innocent untill proven guilty.

teatime


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 852

Message Posted:
05/12/2008 13:41

Message 5: "We also treat our pensioners, sick people, children and students in a humane and decent way. Great country."



Yeah, with English subsidies.

windmill


Joined: 06/07/2008
Posts: 143

Message Posted:
07/12/2008 13:09

For once i have to agree with message 6

Now theres a turn up for the books