Should DNA be kept for all of us?

I'm pretty sure the government already has computers and people to run them--in fact they already have a DNA system. They would just be adding more DNA to it, instead of just the people who have already been convicted of crimes.
 
do you realize how many people out there have not had there dna stored? it wont be cheap to gather all that and then you have the people who will fight it tooth and nail

personally i dont think they have the right to take my dna especially since i have not commited any crime
 
What if I were to jack off and spill some jizz on my carpet? Two years later, someone else is living in this apartment and is murdered. The police find traces of my DNA here and take me into custody based solely on that. I may eventually go free if I have other alabis, etc, but there's no way to undo the damage of being arrested and tried for a crime you didn't commit because we've decided it's easier and cheaper to just "use the database" rather than have actual police do actual police work.

As was said before: too many variables.
 
What if I were to jack off and spill some jizz on my carpet? Two years later, someone else is living in this apartment and is murdered. The police find traces of my DNA here and take me into custody based solely on that. I may eventually go free if I have other alabis, etc, but there's no way to undo the damage of being arrested and tried for a crime you didn't commit because we've decided it's easier and cheaper to just "use the database" rather than have actual police do actual police work.

As was said before: too many variables.

Some DNA in the carpet, of an apartment you have some record of living at or knowing someone who lived at (girl friend, etc), would never stand up to even get you into court.

Now, DNA traces of your "jizz" on or inside of a hooker--that might stand up better, which is probably all they would ever test for in a database.

And to suggest that police would stop doing any other kind of standard investigation work, just because of the instillation of this database, is ridiculous.
 
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Some DNA in the carpet, of an apartment you have some record of living at or knowing someone who lived at (girl friend, etc), would never stand up to even get you into court.

Now, DNA traces of :jizz" on or inside of a hooker--that might stand up better, which is probably all they would ever test for in a database.

I don't have the same level of confidence as you that police wouldn't be tempted/required to use the DNA database first - then ask questions later. I just sense there would be LOTS of misjustice to follow if we went down that path.
 
I don't have the same level of confidence as you that police wouldn't be tempted/required to use the DNA database first - then ask questions later. I just sense there would be LOTS of misjustice to follow if we went down that path.

If you had proof that you lived there a few years/months before, then obviously, you could say that's where the material came from. You wouldn't even be charged, and in the slim chance you were--you would not be found guilty. You wouldn't know the person who died, you wouldn't have a motive, you would probably have some sort of alibi, and you would not be found guilty.

The database would be used as a tool. They would be doing the investigation, just as they normally do, while sending DNA samples to be tested for the database. It would be an extra advantage for investigating crime, nothing to rely on.
 
Is it a good idea or bad idea to have all our DNA stored by the authorities/police?

I've read debates in the news and papers recently about whether we should have our DNA stored by police, so if crimes are committed etc, it will lead to easier convictions, and less tax payers money spent on investigating etc

People seem to be against cost, privacy and "civil liberties" I guess...but surely innocent people have nothing to fear?

Your views?
Phenominally bad idea. I agree completely with Ed.

And to balance liberty against cost just goes to show how low we've sunk as a nation. :mad

My DNA's on file. The military required it, ostensibly to help with identification if I should get blown up at my desk behind the lines. But now that it's in the database, it's there, along with my fingerprints, etc. Evidence found at crime scenes routinely check military databases to help with identification.
 
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And to suggest that police would stop doing any other kind of standard investigation work, just because of the instillation of this database, is ridiculous.
Why is it ridiculous? Investigators always take the easy way, use the simplest explanation. DNA is commonly taken as a confession of guilt. It's absolutely logical to suggest that police would go with DNA evidence to the neglect of other evidence.
 
I think we would still have the right to freedom, press speech, religion.. well the list goes on.

I don't even see what legal right this infringes on. The right to have your DNA not recorded?

The 4th Amendment:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Your DNA inarguably belongs to you, and cannot be seized without a warrant. If you have commited no crime, a warrant cannot be issued because there's no probable cause. Our Constitution is awesome, if only our government would start following it...

What is private about your DNA, if someone just looks at your DNA, how does that infringe on your privacy?
Do you realize how much other information is contained in your DNA? Everything about you is in there, from your susceptibility to certain diseases to how tall you're going to be. If you get a chance, read Next by Michael Crichton.
 
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