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This is why I oppose laws that allow police to collect DNA from people who are merely suspected of crimes. In the UK, we're now learning that their "vital crime-fighting tool" that is the largest DNA database (in terms of percentage of the population included) in the world is largely a database of suspects. The Human Rights Commission calls it "function creep" that has led police to arrest people just for the DNA.
Just guess what demographic is best represented in the database? Black men between 18 and 35, of course. According to one officer, it is now "the norm" to arrest everyone for everything so they can get that DNA sample. I wonder if that really applies across the board or if maybe they're a little more willing to arrest those young black men than say a nice Susan Boyle-type.
This is why we can't allow collection of DNA samples from everyone arrested. Because police WILL abuse it. They will arrest people for infractions they would normally only ticket for. They will follow suspects until they observe something arrestable and then they'll be able to get that DNA sample without ever having to get one of those pesky search warrants.
I'm sure having a database like that is helpful in solving crimes. But it is most definitely not worth the price we would all pay in erosion to our 4th Amendment rights.
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Too bad I can't post pictures here or I would post the Lenny Henry photofit item from his book.
Lenny Henry is a British Comedian (Black).
Yes, you can add in the Common law heritage with CCTV and DNA banks to come up with a lovely police state in the US.
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