« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
3. Effectiveness of the retention policy in
England and Wales
3.1 Officials at the National
DNA Database have provided an update of
the number of
DNA profiles retained in England and
Wales since 11 May 2001 (when the law was changed there)
that would have had to have been removed from the database
under the old law, and the number of offences which had
been linked to these profiles:
As of 31 March 2005 it is estimated that there are
around 198,000
DNA profiles on the Database which
would previously have fallen to be removed. From these,
approximately 7,591 profiles of individuals have been
linked with crime scene stains involving 10,754
offences. These offences include 88 murders, 45
attempted murders, 116 rapes, 62 other sexual offences,
91 aggravated burglaries and 94 offences of the supply
of controlled drugs.
3.2 It is not possible to ascertain how many convictions
were secured because of the new law on
DNA retention, if for no other reason
than it is impossible to know for certain why a jury makes
a decision in any particular case. Police investigations
and prosecutions are achieved through integrated criminal
investigation, not through any one tool (such as
DNA and/or other prints and samples)
alone. However, although exact numbers are not available, a
DNA match will have been useful in all
of these investigations, substantially enhancing the
efficiency of the investigations and in some cases will
have been key to a successful outcome. Thus, widening
DNA retention could help solve a
significant number of offences committed in Scotland,
including some very serious crimes.
DNA retention can also be very effective
in clearing the innocent from any involvement in a
particular offence.
3.3 It remains the case that around 190,000 out of
198,000
DNA profiles, retained by the police
under the new legislation, have not been linked with any
subsequent crime scene. It could therefore be argued that
the great majority of these profiles have been retained on
the database for no purpose. However, there is also no
evidence that the people from whom they were taken have in
any way suffered or been discriminated against, as a result
of their profiles being retained in this way.
« Previous | Contents | Next »