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Only Short Tandem Repeat s are stored in the NDNAD - not a person's full genetic code. Because DNA is inherited, the database can also be used to indirectly identify many others in the population related to a database subject. The NDNAD is run by the Forensic Science Service , an executive agency of the UK Home Office , for the Association of Chief Police Officers. Between April 1995 and March 2004 , the database cost £182 million. {Link without Title} DATABASE SUBJECTS Initially only samples from convicted criminals were recorded. Since the Criminal Justice And Police Act 2001 , anyone arrested on suspicion of involvement in any recordable offence has their DNA sample taken and permanently stored in the Database , whether or not they are subsequently charged or convicted. By September 2005 this had resulted in an extra 162,000 samples being stored, linked to 116 Rape s and 96 Murder s¹. LEGAL CHALLENGES In November 2004 the Court Of Appeal held that the keeping of persons charged, yet not convicted, was lawful. {Link without Title} . The issue of taking fingerprints and a DNA sample was involved in a case decided at the High Court on March 23 , 2006 . A teacher who was accused of assault won the right to have her DNA sample and fingerprints destroyed. They had been taken whilst she was in custody, but after the Crown Prosecution Service had decided to not pursue any charges against her. She should have been released expediantly once this was the case and so her continued detention to obtain samples was unlawful, and thus the samples were taken "without appropriate authority" {Link without Title} . Had they been taken before the decision not to prosecute, the samples would have been lawful and retained as normal. AS AN INTELLIGENCE TOOL The United Kingdoms The Natioanal DNA Database was set up in 1995 using the SGM DNA profiling system ( SGM+ DNA profiling system since 1998) and is currently run by the government owned Forensic Science Service [FSS . All data held on The National DNA database is governed by a tri-partite board consisting of the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities [APA , there are also independant representatives present from the Human Genetics Commision. The data held on The NDNAD is owned by the Police authority which submitted the sample for analysis. Although currently run by the FSS, the UK's largest forensic service provider, all forensic service providers in the UK which meet the accredited standards can interact with The NDNAD. The UK's NDNAD is the foremost and largest forensic DNA database of its kind in the world. The data held on the National DNA Database consits of both demographic sample data and the numerical DNA profile. Records on The NDNAD are held for both individuals sampled under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act {Link without Title} and for unsolved crimestains (such as from blood, semen, saliva, hair and cellular materials left at a crimescene) Each day the NDNAD's records are automatically searched for matches {Link without Title} between individuals and unsolved crimestain records and unsolved crimestain to unsolved crimestain records. linking both individuals to crimes and crimes to crimes. Any NDNAD hits obtained are reported directly to the Police force which submitted the sample for analysis. The NDNAD is widely aknowledged as an intelligence tool, for its ability to aid in the solvivg of crimes, both past and present. As well as its daily automated intelligence search, one-off speculative intelligence searches of The NDNAD can be initiated by scientists in instances where a crimestain DNA profile does not meet the required standard for loading to The NDNAD. These searches can produce many matches which may be resticted by demographic data. The latest innovative intelligence approach brought forward by the FSS, is in the use of familial searching. This is a process that may be carried out in relation to unsolved crimestains whereby a suspects DNA may not be held on the NDNAD, but that of a close relative is. This method identifies potential relatives by identifying DNA profiles held on The NDNAD that are similar. Again many matches may be produced which may be resricted by demographic data. CONTROVERSY AND PRIVACY CONCERNS The UK DNA database is the world's largest, and has prompted concerns from some quarters as to its scope and usage. Changes in the powers of arrest granted to the police by the Serious Organised Crime And Police Act 2005 have led to expectations of even more samples being added. The Black Police Association has called for an enquiry into why the database holds details of 37% of black men but fewer than 10% of white men. A further concern has been raised over the 24,000 samples held of children and young people aged from 10 to 18 who have never been convicted, cautioned or charged with any offence. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4633918.stm Given the privacy issues, but set against the uncontested usefulness of the database in identifing offenders, some have argued for a system whereby the encrypted data associated with a sample is held by a third, trusted, party and is only revealed if a crime scene sample is found to contain that DNA. Such an approach has been advocated by the inventor of Genetic Fingerprinting , Alec Jeffreys . {Link without Title} SEE ALSO REFERENCES |
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