Britain's DNA database needs to be held independently and operated under much tighter safeguards more in accordance with the Scottish model, according to a government-backed inquiry.
Britain's DNA database needs to be held independently and operated under much tighter safeguards more in accordance with the Scottish model, according to a government-backed inquiry.
The citizens' inquiry into the forensic use of DNA and the UK database, which, in proportion to the population, is the largest in the world, has called for wholesale changes to the current procedures for taking samples and rejected the profiling of everyone in the UK.
The inquiry, which was commissioned by the Human Genetics Commission (HGC), a UK government advisory body, also called for independent guidance to be provided to juries about the limitations of DNA evidence before hearing from expert witnesses.
Politicians and police are generally agreed that DNA profiling is an important tool in identifying criminals and terrorists. But there has been widespread debate about the rules and regulations governing the taking and retaining of samples.
The citizens' inquiry groups - held in Glasgow and Birmingham - were given access to a range of experts on DNA, including police and scientists.
The majority of participants concluded there should be harmonisation between the approaches in Scotland and those in England and Wales, and that the Scottish approach should be favoured. They also concluded that the DNA profiles of those convicted of a serious crime should be recorded on the database "regardless of their age". But the inquiry report did recommend that if children commit a minor offence their profile should only be kept on the database for a short time and that any child being placed on the database should receive counselling. The majority agreed that a sample of everyone's DNA should not be taken at birth.
Scotland has a separate database and tighter regulations than England and Wales but the information on both databases are shared.
Authorities in Scotland are only allowed to store permanently the DNA of people convicted of crimes, with the exception of certain suspected sex offenders. Police can keep the DNA of those charged with, but not convicted of, serious sexual and violent offences but only for a restricted time.
Some 2000 people are added to the UK database each day and one of the majority recommendations of the inquiry was that those subsequently found innocent should have their sample removed from the database.
Scotland has rejected proposals to create an English-style national DNA database containing any non-convicted samples taken, but there are moves to change the system.
Last year the Scottish Government asked Professor James Fraser, the head of Strathclyde University's Centre for Forensic Science, to carry out a review of the database.
One area he was asked to look at is whether DNA samples belonging to children who commit sexual and violent offences, but who go before a children's panel, could be kept by police.
Police in Scotland are allowed to store only the DNA of children convicted of violent or sex crimes in an adult court. The Herald revealed this year that there are 4790 teenagers aged 16 and younger on the Scottish system. In contrast, police forces
