FC: Congress, police try to expand DNA testing

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

                     Expanding the DNA Database 
                     by Declan McCullagh (declan () wired com)

                     3:00 a.m. 17.Nov.1999 PST 
                     US police may soon have the cash they
                     need to accelerate their DNA
                     fingerprinting efforts, courtesy of the
                     federal government. 

                     A new bill in Congress provides over
                     US$45 million in federal funds to spur
                     police into taking more DNA samples and
                     using them in criminal investigations. 

                     [...]


> Pubdate: Fri, 05 Nov 1999
> Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
> Copyright: 1999 Houston Chronicle
> Contact: viewpoints () chron com
> Website: http://www.chron.com/
> Forum: http://www.chron.com/content/hcitalk/index.html
>
> MANDATORY DNA TESTING?
>
> Police Group Seeks Samples Of Jailed Suspects
>
> CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The International Association of Police Chiefs
> says it will urge Congress to require that DNA samples be taken from
> every person arrested in connection with a crime. Civil rights
> advocates say that could violate the privacy of innocent people.
>
> Typically, DNA samples are taken only from felons convicted of violent
> crimes.
>
> But the chiefs on Wednesday proposed that all arrested suspects also
> should be required to give DNA samples, which would go into a
> nationwide FBI database and be made available to law enforcement
> agencies across the country.

[...]
> The chiefs did not say what their proposal would cost, but they called
> it another step forward in DNA technology, which has been credited
> with clearing dozens of people convicted of murder and rape in recent
> years.
>
> "With modern technology, we can do a much better job of protecting our
> citizens and exonerating the innocent," said Michael Robinson,
> director of the Michigan Department of State Police and incoming
> association president.
>
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[Note the aforementioned bill in Congress does not deal with police taking
fingerprints from arrested suspects, one way or another, whether requiring or
prohibiting. --DBM]




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