[Mb-civic] Bill Would Permit DNA Collection From All Those Arrested - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Bill Would Permit DNA Collection From All Those Arrested

By Jonathan Krim
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 24, 2005; Page A03

Suspects arrested or detained by federal authorities could be forced to 
provide samples of their DNA that would be recorded in a central 
database under a provision of a Senate bill to expand government 
collection of personal data.

The controversial measure was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee 
last week and is supported by the White House, but has not gone to the 
floor for a vote. It goes beyond current law, which allows federal 
authorities to collect and record samples of DNA only from those 
convicted of crimes. The data are stored in an FBI-maintained national 
registry that law enforcement officials use to aid investigations, by 
comparing DNA from criminals with evidence found at crime scenes.

Sponsors insist that adding DNA from people arrested or detained would 
lead to prevention of some crimes, and help solve others more quickly.

"When police retrace the history of a serial predator after he is 
finally caught, they often find that he never had a prior criminal 
conviction, but did have a prior arrest," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said in 
a statement. "That means the only way they are likely to catch such a 
perpetrator after his first crime -- rather than his 10th -- is if 
authorities can maintain a comprehensive database of all those who are 
arrested, just as we do with fingerprints."

Privacy advocates across the political spectrum say the proposal is 
another step in expanding government intrusion.

"DNA is not like fingerprinting," said Jesselyn McCurdy, a legislative 
counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "It contains genetic 
information and information about diseases." She added that the ACLU 
questions whether it is constitutional to put data from those who have 
not been convicted into a database of convicted criminals.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/23/AR2005092301665.html?nav=hcmodule
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