DNA Database- Friend or Foe?

Deoxyribonucleic Acid everyone has it and everyone is unique- its a stamp of who we are.

After studying Crime Scene science for 2 years it became a crucial part of what I was studying. Every crime scene I processed invariably had some sort of DNA left behind in it, from strands of hair to droplets of blood. This DNA would then be collected and then sent to the Forensic Science Service for profiling (ours weren't as we did have real hair and blood, but the crime scene was synthesized for educational purposes).

That DNA would then be stored against that crime and ran through the national DNA Database to be compared to 4.5 million other samples with the hope of generating a match- unfortunately not always.

So then if in real life those samples were sent and didn't generate a match, what do you then tell the women that was raped, "Sorry but he's still out there and we have no idea who he is"? Tricky question to pose to anybody.

Currently the National DNA Database holds the DNA profiles for all convicted criminals for life. They also hold the profiles for those who have been sampled but then cleared for 12yrs for serious or sexual offences and 6yrs for minor offences with juveniles being removed from the database when they reach the age of 18.

Currently there has been great press interest in the fact that the European Court has ruled that it is unlawful to hold data on people who are sampled and then cleared of the crime. Civil Liberty group "Liberty" has stated that these people should be removed immediately. Personally, and I'm going out on a limb here, I believe that everyone in the country should be sampled and put on the database, then if a crime is committed and DNA is found, then as soon as the sample is processed, a match will be found and that offender will be able to be found much faster due to the data which is held on the database. Also the press would be able to be used as a vital tool in finding them. They would be off the streets much faster and unable to commit the offense again.

How many times have serial killers left behind DNA to taunt the police but as they are unknown to the authorities have been able to go on a commit more murders before they are found? A database would at least give the Authorities a name of who they are looking for, and in turn help speed up the process of catching that said individual.

Furthermore an entire DNA Database of all of the population would also act as a great deterrent to potential offenders. They would know that they could be traced and would be less likely to commit the crime in the first place.

There is always another side to the argument, like why should everyone have their information kept by the authorities when they haven't done anything wrong? And what happens if the information would get into the wrong hands?

Everyone has the right to privacy, but they also have the right to be safe.