House Votes To Forcibly Extract DNA From Those Accused Of Serious Crimes

[Obama 2012 1,714]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20005458-38.html

Millions of Americans arrested for but not convicted of crimes will likely have their DNA forcibly extracted and added to a national database, according to a bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday.

By a 357 to 32 vote, the House approved legislation that will pay state governments to require DNA samples, which could mean drawing blood with a needle, from adults "arrested for" certain serious crimes. Not one Democrat voted against the database measure, which would hand out about $75 million to states that agree to make such testing mandatory.

"We should allow law enforcement to use all the technology available to them...to reduce expensive and unjust false convictions, bring closure to victims by solving cold cases, better identify criminals, and keep those who commit violent crime from walking the streets," said Rep. Harry Teague, the New Mexico Democrat who sponsored the bill.

But civil libertarians say DNA samples should be required only from people who have been convicted of crimes, and argue that if there is probable cause to believe that someone is involved in a crime, a judge can sign a warrant allowing a blood sample or cheek swab to be forcibly extracted.

"It's wrong to treat someone as guilty before they're convicted," says Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute. "It inverts the concept of innocent until proven guilty."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership scheduled Tuesday's debate on the bill--called the Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act of 2010--using a procedure known as the "suspension calendar" intended to be reserved for non-controversial legislation.

"Suspension of the rules is supposed to be for praising the winner of the NCAA championship or renaming Post Offices," Harper says. "Things like collecting Americans' DNA are supposed to be fully debated in Congress."

In a surprise move, as the U.S. Congress was expanding the FBI's DNA database, the U.K.'s new coalition government was pledging sharp curbs on its own databases.

Created in the mid-1990s, the UK National DNA Database originally was supposed to store data on convicted criminals, but grew to include records on more than 5 million Britons, including many who were only arrested on suspicion of a crime.

U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg promised once-in-a-century privacy reforms in a speech on Wednesday: "We won't hold your Internet and e-mail records when there is just no reason to do so. CCTV will be properly regulated, as will the DNA database, with restrictions on the storage of innocent people's DNA. Britain must not be a country where our children grow up so used to their liberty being infringed that they accept it without question."

[Peikko 1,575]

Totally wrong and unacceptable - and as it says in the article, something that is being curbed in the UK, thank goodness. Convicted? Fine, have at it, otherwise, completely wrong.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Totally wrong and unacceptable - and as it says in the article, something that is being curbed in the UK, thank goodness. Convicted? Fine, have at it, otherwise, completely wrong.

agreed. one could wind up in there with a case of mistaken identity and have their dna in the database.

[jimnlena 8]

Hopefully voters will wake up!!!

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Yet another law that will cost tons in legal fees. I get wrongfully arrested? You bet your #### that I'll sue to have my DNA pulled + damages.

[Kevin and 10]

Hopefully voters will wake up!!!

Don't count on it. After they're done voting for American Idol, football season starts soon after.

[TBoneTX 45,284]

"Your papers, Comrade."

Now, "Your DNA, motherf---er."

If this bill passes, the Fourth Amendment (long on life-support) will officially become an inkblot.

Why isn't November here now, "may" we ask?

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

"Your papers, Comrade."

Now, "Your DNA, motherf---er."

If this bill passes, the Fourth Amendment (long on life-support) will officially become an inkblot.

Why isn't November here now, "may" we ask?

don't ask too loud, it might be considered a political blog.

[Darnell 8,478]

ah - some new data to track, some new stats to compute in a few years.

Personally, I don't have any qualms about this, EXCEPT for data corruption.

I can understand 'the other side' of this, you betcha- I smell many lawsuits ahead..

[Obama 2012 1,714]

"Your papers, Comrade."

Now, "Your DNA, motherf---er."

If this bill passes, the Fourth Amendment (long on life-support) will officially become an inkblot.

Why isn't November here now, "may" we ask?

Only 32 people voted against this bill... November means nothing with this item.

[TBoneTX 45,284]

don't ask too loud

Anyone who dares breathe similar words is assuredly already on The List.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/257444-house-votes-to-forcibly-extract-dna-from-those-accused-of-serious-crimes/#entry3951812

not a public poll - people cannot see how you vote - so the powers that be can't put dissenters on a watch list.

[IndigoSkies 168]

I would like to correct one mistakes of alarmists. To obtain DNA, they will not have to draw your precious blood. They will most likely use a cotton swap to get a dab of your saliva. And most of us already have our blood stored in state databases/wearhouses if you were born over the last 25/30 years in an American hospitals.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

I would like to correct one mistakes of alarmists. To obtain DNA, they will not have to draw your precious blood. They will most likely use a cotton swap to get a dab of your saliva. And most of us already have our blood stored in state databases/wearhouses if you were born over the last 25/30 years in an American hospitals.

but was that blood given voluntary, that which is at the american hospitals, and is the dna profile from it traceable back to the donor decades from now?