it only goes to show ...

[ramtops]

... that the innocent have nothing to fear. The guilty, however, had better look out.

this article, in today's Times explains how a serial rapist "was traced when DNA from his sister — taken in relation to a drink-driving offence — was matched to semen samples taken from the rapist’s victims between 1983 and 1986."

while I'm very pleased that this chap has been caught, and has pleaded guilty, why are they taking DNA from a drink driver?

Comments

[blue-condition.livejournal.com]

The police are entitled to fingerprint and/or DNA sample anyone charged with a recordable offence, without the consent of the person concerned.

http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5B347%5D=x-347-508126


So, if the pigs want your DNA all they have to do is trump up some charges and they can force you.

Otherwise, they could just decide to ask everyone in an area to "volunteer" in order to help with inquiries, and record the fact that you didn't "volunteer".

[thunderbox.livejournal.com]

Because they can.

I'll wager they'll be requiring compulsory DNA, retinal scans and fingerprints from everyone within 20 years.

[blue-condition.livejournal.com]

Retinal scans and fingerprints will of course come in with ID cards -- assuming they ever happen, which I now severely doubt because I think the chances of a working Labour majority in the next parliament are becoming vanishingly small.

In the unlikely event that ID cards and the national ID database do continue to go ahead, I wouldn't be surprised if, during your visit to your friendly neighbourhood interrogation registration centre, you were 'invited' to give a DNA sample - and that failure to 'volunteer' would be noted in the ID database.

[ramtops.livejournal.com]

I truly believe we're only two decades away from RFIDing children at birth.

how I love this brave new world.

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

Could happen *now*. There are RFID chips out there with 512k of memory on them.

Alice.

[ramtops.livejournal.com]

my "two decades" delay is for societal reasons, rather than technical.

[thunderbox.livejournal.com]

"But it's for the children, think of the children!"

[blue-condition.livejournal.com]

Yes, it'll save them from DRUGS and PERVERTS.

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

You think that long? If the anti-libertarian stance of the present shower continues with the next lot, I can foresee this occurring much sooner. Call me pessimistic if you want, but...

Alice.

[purple-peril.livejournal.com]

What would have happened if the DNA had come from his brother? Can they tell that the two samples were from a relative but not the same person?

[thunderbox.livejournal.com]

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2006/07/11/fake-ids-save-lives-in-iraq/