FBI may collect juveniles' DNA

DNA profiles from hundreds of thousands of juvenile offenders and adults arrested but not convicted of crimes could be added to the FBI's national DNA crime-fighting program under a proposed law moving through Congress.

The law, if enacted, would be the greatest single expansion of the federal government's power to collect and use DNA since the FBI's national database was created in 1992. The FBI says its national DNA database holds genetic profiles from about 1.4 million adults convicted of state and federal crimes.

This needs to be fought tooth and nail; a DNA sample taken and filed is an illegal search. You can make an argument for doing this to convicts, on the theory that it is part of the punishment, but without a conviction you have no right to retain the DNA.

The Bush Administration makes the argument that DNA is like a fingerprint; my counter to that is that fingerprints should be protected until conviction as well.

Posted on 2003-11-22 01:13:28.0 by matthew@triggerfinger.org

Check the groups below and enter your email address to receive updates by email:

The trackback URL for this entry is: http://triggerfinger.org/weblog/servlet/trackback/4270

No trackbacks have been posted so far.

No comments have been posted so far.