Up to one in 10 now on DNA database
Updated on 29 October 2008
Channel 4 News online has uncovered a league table of police DNA sampling rates showing the startling growth of the national database.
Police forces in some parts of the UK have added the equivalent of one sample of DNA per every 10 people in their area - including those who have never committed a crime.
The startling growth of the database - to which nearly 300,000 samples have been added in the past five months - is outlined in a league table of police force DNA sampling uncovered by Channel 4 News online.
Even taking into account duplicate samples, this means police forces in Northumbria, the West Midlands and London have now added the equivalent of one sample per every 10 people living in their areas to the database.
Police forces say not all DNA samples added to the database relate to people who are residents in their area, but critics of the database's growth say the ratio of one to ten is a stark increase.
Details of the growth of the DNA database are revealed on the day the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, warns of the dangers of creating giant databases.
Dr Helen Wallace, director of Genewatch, a research group which acts as a national watchdog on use of genetic material, said: "This highlights that what is happening is disproportionate to the need to tackle crime.
"We need better regulation about how long DNA samples and information is kept from people who are innocent or convicted of minor offences.
"Scotland's database is just as effective but much less damaging from a civil liberties point of view."
'Scotland's database is just as effective but much less damaging from a civil liberties point of view.'Dr Helen Wallace, Genewatch
In Scotland - where the rules governing DNA samples are stricter - the highest rate was in Fife, with one sample per 17 people.
Overall there are now 5,316,862 samples on the database; a near 900,000 increase in the past five months.
Taking into account duplicate samples, the National Policing Improvement Agency - which released the figures under Freedom of Information rules - estimates 4,631,838 individuals are now on the database.
Sarah Cunningham-Burley, a member of the Human Genetics Commission, which will make submissions to government next year over improvements to the management of the database, said: "It might be beneficial to have legislation that specifically lays down the boundaries or parameters in relation to the DNA database.
"For example, in Scotland the samples taken from people who have been arrested and not charged - or charged and then cleared - are removed from the database in most circumstances; whereas in England and Wales that is not the case.
'Overall we would be looking towards further transparency and the encouragement of public debate.'Sarah Cunningham-Burley, Human Genetics Commission
"Further issues for debate in relation to retention include whether some people's samples and profiles should be removed after a period of time and what should happen to volunteer samples, for example from victims of crime or volunteers from a mass screen.
"Overall we would be looking towards further transparency and the encouragement of public debate."
Much of the debate surrounding the database - including its relationship with the Data Protection Act - has been put on hold until a decision is made in the case of Michael Marper and a teenager known as "S".
The case, which is expected to be heard at the European Court of Human Rights next month, will rule on whether it is lawful to keep DNA samples from persons charged, yet not convicted. If the complainants are successful more than 1m samples will have to be removed.
Inclusion on the database means the police hold details of a person's name, date of birth, sex and ethnic appearance - as well as their DNA.
'In 2007/08 forensics contributed in the detection of over 3,000 crimes in Northumbria Police area, with DNA directly contributing to over 1300 detections.'DCI Glyn Williams, Northumbria Police
The National Policing Improvement Agency said the database was providing police with more than 3,100 suspect-to-scene matches a month.
It said there was "no personal cost or disadvantage" to individuals who were on the database.
DCI Glyn Williams of Northumbria Police, whose force covers a population of about 1.4 million and has uploaded 174,781 samples, said: "We sample all persons detained at a police station for a recordable offence unless they are already on the database.
"The exception to this rule is when a voluntary sample is provided to assist in the investigation of an offence. In this case the provider has the option of having their sample permanently stored on the database.
"DNA science is only used by Northumbria Police in the prevention and detection of crime.
"Having a significant number of Northumbria Police DNA profiles on the database increases our chance of an identification match with a profile loaded from a crime scene.
"In 2007/08 forensics contributed in the detection of over 3,000 crimes in Northumbria Police area, with DNA directly contributing to over 1,300 detections."
