Feds To Collect DNA From Every Person They Arrest
WASHINGTON - The government plans to begin collecting DNA samples from anyone arrested by a federal law enforcement agency — a move intended to prevent violent crime but which also is raising concerns about the privacy of innocent people.
Using authority granted by Congress, the government also plans to collect DNA samples from foreigners who are detained, whether they have been charged or not. The DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, Justice Department spokesman Erik Ablin said Wednesday. That would be a departure from current practice, which limits DNA collection to convicted felons.
Expanding the DNA database, known as CODIS, raises civil liberties questions about the potential for misuse of such personal information, such as family ties and genetic conditions.
Ablin said the DNA collection would be subject to the same privacy laws applied to current DNA sampling. That means none of it would be used for identifying genetic traits, diseases or disorders.
Congress gave the Justice Department the authority to expand DNA collection in two different laws passed in 2005 and 2006.
There are dozens of federal law enforcement agencies, ranging from the FBI to the Library of Congress Police. The federal government estimates it makes about 140,000 arrests each year.
Justice officials estimate the new collecting requirements would add DNA from an additional 1.2 million people to the database each year.
Those who support the expanded collection believe that DNA sampling could get violent criminals off the streets and prevent them from committing more crimes.
A Chicago study in 2005 found that 53 murders and rapes could have been prevented if a DNA sample had been collected upon arrest.
“Many innocent lives could have been saved had the government began this kind of DNA sampling in the 1990s when the technology to do so first became available,” Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said. Kyl sponsored the 2005 law that gave the Justice Department this authority.
Thirteen states have similar laws: Alaska, Arizona, California, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
The new regulation would mean that the federal government could store DNA samples of people who are not guilty of any crime, said Jesselyn McCurdy, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
“Now innocent people’s DNA will be put into this huge CODIS database, and it will be very difficult for them to get it out if they are not charged or convicted of a crime,” McCurdy said.
If a person is arrested but not convicted, he or she can ask the Justice Department to destroy the sample.
The Homeland Security Department — the federal agency charged with policing immigration — supports the new rule.
“DNA is a proven law-enforcement tool,” DHS spokesman Russ Knocke said.
The rule would not allow for DNA samples to be collected from immigrants who are legally in the United States or those being processed for admission, unless the person was arrested.
The proposed rule is being published in the Federal Register. That will be followed by a 30-day comment period.
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he, nice to find out who is your ancestry
April 17th, 2008 at 12:41 pmSounds like something from “The X-Files” …
Believe me, if Hillary’s in office, and she’s got your DNA … she’s got you by the balls …
April 17th, 2008 at 12:48 pm“Enema of the State”… I was in 7th grade when that was on every radio.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pmThis makes sense for people convicted of crimes, and maybe those actually charged or indicted, but just arrested? At that level you are asking for a bunch of false convictions based on the Prosecutor’s Fallacy:
April 17th, 2008 at 1:30 pmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecutor%27s_fallacy
Much as I want criminals off the street, I’m worried about the government having my DNA on file. You know that some clerk will be willing to sell the database to the highest bidder.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:45 pmThis will eventually be adopted by Local police departments near you. As well as Retina scanning. They already have field deployable fingerprint scanners in police cars in several states. Seatbelt violations can get you fingerprinted.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:48 pmIm not a fan of this idea. seems a little too creepy to me
April 17th, 2008 at 1:51 pmHow many of the 53 were murders vs rapes. How do we know this DNA database is not going to be abused. DMV’s across the USA already sell private data from Driver’s records. Cell phone records are now public for a fee. Biometric data should not be too far off. Doubleclick and Google should be able to merge DNA records with your surfing habits, purchasing history, and credit rating, as well as any genetic defects you may have to insurance companies. Okay, a little far fetched but not to far off.
The USA is the most open society in existence. Were a private citizen’s life is an open book. Someone’s name, approximate age, and geographical region a motivated individual can find everything they need to know about a person in exacting detail. Try to hunt down someone in China, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, or, the France.
April 17th, 2008 at 1:54 pmHey if you commit a crime, you’ve lost your rights! I’m down with that.
Drill, X-Files is way ahead of this
April 17th, 2008 at 5:15 pmThis is fuckin’ outrageous! I bet the fuckin’ Nazis would have loved this fuckin’ idea! If this happens people, you can kiss America goodbye.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:19 pmIts just DNA, what are they going to do, clone you? Give me a break. They don’t sell the samples or anything, who cares who you are related to or if you have down’s syndrome.
Don’t get arrested and don’t worry about it. You all know on star always know where your GM car is right? Or they can always find you by your cel connecting to towers as you travel. there is no real privacy and you should only be worried if you have somehting to hide. If you have something to hide, then you probably did something wrong.
April 18th, 2008 at 5:35 am