DNA profiles

[Donegeal]

I haven't forgotten Winston, but I think the wording was "agree with me 99% of the time and I'll give you France." This just happens to be part of that 1% (this and that whole Canadian island deal ). I just don't think that people should HAVE to do it unless they have done something to deserve it.

Don't worry Winston. I really don't feel that strongly either way. I voted banana.

[loinburger]

I think that keeping a DNA record is a good idea in principle and a terrible one in practice -- I simply don't have sufficient trust in the state.

[Donegeal]

Why? What do you think they are going to do with it? Clone you? What would be so dangerous?

[loinburger]

Unless law enforcement officials were incorruptible or else a tamper proof/evident means of collecting DNA samples from a crime scene were put in place, it would be extraordinarily simple to abuse the records. There's also the whole business with illegal domestic spying, which would certainly be aided by having everybody's DNA on record.

[Sandman]

You should never rely entirely on forensic evidence. I see this solution resulting in shoddy, one-dimensional detective work.

Plus, the potential for abuse is enormous.

[Winston]

Originally posted by Sandman
You should never rely entirely on forensic evidence.

Agreed. But the facts are there, the ~9,000 DNA profiles that have been added to the database so far have resulted in breakthroughs in several old cases, and subsequent convictions by the courts.

Why not have 5,400,000 entries instead of 9,000 and clean out all of the unsolved cases (old and new) where DNA evidence would make similar breakthroughs possible?

[Axxaer]

Originally posted by Winston
Agreed. But the facts are there, the ~9,000 DNA profiles that have been added to the database so far have resulted in breakthroughs in several old cases, and subsequent convictions by the courts.

Why not have 5,400,000 entries instead of 9,000 and clean out all of the unsolved cases (old and new) where DNA evidence would make similar breakthroughs possible?

Just because they convicted people based on DNA evidence doesn't mean they were the right people.