DNA Database is Racist

With chilling echoes back to the data collected in Nazi Germany on genetics the startling truth about the criminal database is that 3 in ever 4 young black, British males finds himself on the DNA database. In total there is also a third of all Black men.

Of course the computer itself is colour blind. But as each entrant on that database at present has been stopped, arrested and sampled, even if released and not charged with any crime, shows the latest findings in a horrifying light. The Human Genetics Commission who drew up this report gets this figure from a question asked to the Home Affairs select committee to Baroness Scotland in 2007 when she responded to the statement that "as many as 77 per cent of young black males will soon be on the DNA database" with "The figures in relation to 77 per cent, I think, are correct." This figure does not tally with those officially released by the Government.

However, the Guardian focuses on the part of the report that Police are routinely arresting people with the purpose of adding their DNA to the police database. But as those targeted for such action are overly representing Afro-Caribbean young men their increased stigmatism from the police. There is also the tale of a 12-year-old schoolboy who eleven years ago was swabbed and added to the database of an alleged incident involving Pokemon cards. Or the black man who was arrested for not wearing his seatbelt.

Database evidence is not the be all and end all of police work, nor should it ever be. It is only part of the process, but also what has happened to the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty. The fact that there are 5 million individuals on the crime detection database, many of whom have never been charged or found to have been involved in a crime is a backdoor way to lazy policing. It is not a coverall for the lack of policing on the streets, all of us would agree that prevention is better than detection after the event.

But all this picking up, swabbing and cataloging of data of people who aren't doing anything criminal is wasting police time. The section 60 powers that give the police this amount of power to stop anyone at anytime and arrest without just cause is merely farming DNA unto the Government's pet database project. With the report that has been produced there is a clear reason that innocent peoples DNA should be struck from the database. This is not being used to prevent or detect crime, this is being used to target certain groups in our society without just cause being given.

SNP Want to Fine You and Keep Your DNA

They only last month the SNP were claiming that we had a compassionate, human justice system. Yet now they are looking to close a 'loophole' in the capture of DNA of offenders.

Up until now only the DNA of those convicted of a crime could be taken and kept on the Government data base. However, if the person chose to take a direct measure, such as a fine, as an alternative to being prosecuted in court then their DNA could not be kept. The SNP are saying this is a loophole that must be closed. One does have to ask does this include points for speeding, parking fines or fines for dropping litter?

SNP West of Scotland MSP Stewart Maxwell has brought an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill to try and bring this about. He claims that DNA retained by such measures does not infringe anyone's human rights. Of course direct measures can also be used in cases of in vandalism, breach of the peace, theft, assault and other alleged offences as well as those listed above.

The Association of Chief Police Officers and Scottish Police Services Authority have called for forensic data taken from those who accept a police fixed-penalty notice to be retained. Something that does not seem to be taken into account in Mr Maxwell's amendment which calls for such gathered information to be retained indefinitely.

Not So "Quick"-witted of the Yard

Less haste more heed may well be the lesson learnt by Assistant Commissioner Bob Quick today. This morning he exited a car in Downing Street carry plans for an anti-terrorism raid. This evening, after the top sheet was photographed clearly giving far too much information, 10 suspects were arrested in raids.

The obvious conclusion to be drawn was that Quick was entering Downing Street to brief on the plans that were captured. However, as the details on the agency photograph were zoomed across the world the raid and arrests were moved up in Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire. Evening raids of this sort are unusual so it is highly likely that as a result of the slow-wittedness and hasty exit of Quick from that car this operation was put under risk if it wasn't proceeded with immediately.

Whether the police were ready to make these arrests at this time we will no doubt find out if the suspects are in fact held. If they were still gathering information in preparation for it and were maybe waiting for some final piece to slot into place before going in, may well mean that what they could take is what had to be taken.

In a bad few days for the police this failure to protect operationally sensitive data is just another sign that our "police state" is simply not competent to deal with such sensitive data. Whether that is their own operational plans or our DNA or whatever they want to keep neither the police nor this Government seem capable to handling things with the trust they would want, which we should be unwilling to give them anyway.

****Breaking News**** Channel 4 News have just announced that the officer seen beating and flooring Ian Tomlinson, shortly before he died of a heart attack when he wasn't protesting at G20, has voluntarily come forward.

****Breaking Comment**** Still on Channel 4 News Shami Chakrabarti is right that is doesn't look good. Brain Paddick whilst trying to defend the enquiry and the process is not coming across strong enough against the evidence from the three cameras that captured the final minutes of Ian Tomlinson's existance.

Who'd Want to Help the Police Now?

A teenager who was doing all he could to make sure someone who had lost their phone got it back got arrested when he turned it in at the local police station in Southport.

Of course the fact that 18 year old birthday boy Paul Leicester ended up spending four hours in the cells means that his DNA was taken and will be held on the National DNA database. He had already called the owner and told the owner he would be dropping it off at the local police station so they could collected. He charge was "theft by finding".

Now there are a number of things regarding this charge, apart from the stealthy way to prop up the . First last time I checked Alex Salmond hadn't given Kenny MacAskill jurisdiction over Southport as theft by finding is a Scots law and not on the English statute book. Also Paul was had made an attempt to return the item to the owner, and was handing it to the police for their save keeping, which under Scots law is not actually "theft by finding".

The problem that arises from this is who is going to want to help the police now? What innocent person is going to walk voluntarily into a police station to hand in lost goods, help with their enquiries, or whatever? If there is a change that the police will not use logic in a case like this and arrest you on the spot, steal your DNA and place it on a national database where they want us all eventually, would you want to help.

As the victim of crime both professionally in retail and personally at home I have been in a police station, or had the police call out to me. But would I had in that stolen credit card for fear of being charged with theft by finding? Report a stolen item for possibly a charge of fraud to attempt theft (from the insurance company)? If the police want to act like we are in a police state they will get what they long for an unsupportive populace. But they more they do the less support they will get from the people and that is something the Government is also forgetting.

Not all young people are up to no good. Not all Asians are terrorists. Not everyone turning something over to the police nicked it. When will they learn?

Hat tip Helen Duffett via Mark Pack and his Eating Lentils doesn't make me a terrorist suspect Facebook group.

Ten Reasons My DNA Won't Become Government Property

So senior Police Officers have called for a national DNA Database. Here are 10 reasons why I won't be found on it.

10. I'm a law abiding citizen and have had no reason to give a sample to police.

9. Should the database contain every citizen, wouldn't that just slow up the process of using it rather than just known criminals. Thus contradicting its usefulness.

8. Our bobbies would merely be looking for and collecting DNA for every crime from shoplifting to murder. How is that going to make anyone feel more secure?

7. I'm not going to voluntarily carry an ID card, which contains my biometric data. So I'm less likely to volunteer by DNA code.

6. On at least 3 occasions in the last 12 months Government data sources have spewed out mine and close family members data. So I'm not trusting anything they hold of mine.

5. Even the Home Office are not calling to make it compulsory. But then maybe they just know they're not fit for the purpose of holding it, see above.

4. I am who I am, and that DAN is part of that equation and has no right being held and filed by someone else.

3. I am a name not a number. Much as I would love to live at Port Merrion I'm no prisoner.

2. We live in the real world not a George Orwell fiction written in 1948. Big Brother has no need or right to watch us that closely.

1. I do not, nor do I have any intention of working for Torchwood. Therefore the storing of my DNA to regenerate, correct or resurrect me as a result of issues in the line of duty is negligible. Should the role of data analysis become more dangerous I may reconsider.