The Times report that examines the situation with regard to the DNA database that the police use offers us another chance to be wary of the Human Rights act, the real possibility of criminals getting away with serious crimes and the dangers of filtering our databases. Thankfully a visitor over at NO2ID is quick to point out, quite sensibly that this is not the purpose of the database. To quote:
The purposes of a small yet effective DNA database are to deter persistent and dangerous offenders from re-offending and to increase the chances of their apprehension and conviction if they do. A person who has not been convicted or cautioned is not an offender so far as the law is concerned and they should be considered to be people mistakenly suspected of a crime they did not commit. Retaining their DNA carries with it an implication that they were really guilty and they managed to get off with it, but we'll get them next time.
I am forced to agree, not really for the same reason however. In a perfect world to have everyone on the database and everybody carrying ID cards would be great and it would do all we could expect, deter crime, identify the miscreant and ensure justice where possible, unfortunately it is not a perfect world.
The arguments against the holding of DNA of those who are arrested and subsequently not prosecuted come in many shapes and size but to me boil down to one simple one.
We cannot trust those in power, and even if we changed those in power who is to say we can trust them.
Unfortunately the social myopia that afflicts most of our society is so far spread that it appears that those in power are able to get away with far to much already, let alone playing into the hands of future potential dictators or ne'er'-do-wells who will, in the case of the former, pro-actively target a minority and obliterate it or the latter, simply be to lazy to bother with the checks and balances that are in place to protect the public and will make an enormous mistake that will cost lives.
We lay the foundations of the nanny and police state by our current actions, a nightmare dystopian future will be come reality for our children and their children if people do not wake up and smell the coffee. The aftermath of 9/11 and the London bombings have already seen unprecedented headway made into the often long fought and hard won freedoms that people used to enjoy. The undermining of Habeas Corpus and the abandonment of double jeopardy all together should at least give pause for thought.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when you consider the admission of similar fact evidence and previous convictions in court that undermine the very tenet that states a man is innocent until proven guilty.
All legal issues of course, but when we look at the more cultural or societal influences we have the irrational fear of teenagers, terrorist and paedophiles standing side by side with schools that will not let parents photograph their children and an already voracious appetite by the police for criminalising all and sundry at the drop of a hat.
In such a climate of emotionality and fear it is all to easy for those in power to manipulate an already scared and myopic public to believe anything they say. So to return to the issue at hand it is illustrated well by the quote from the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire.
“People will accuse me of playing the emotional card. Well, I don’t do emotional blackmail. You have to think the unthinkable. I would not like to be the officer who has to look a parent in the eye and say, ‘We could have prevented this’.”
You obviously do do emotional blackmail sir, its blatant to all who choose to see it. So at the risk of appearing callous, but aware that this is a devil and the deep blue sea option at any rate, I can think the unthinkable Mr Lake, it is not saying to a parent "we could have prevented this" that is unpleasant for the officer and devastating for the individual parent.
No, the unthinkable is that when we approach our dotage, and are no longer a force to be reckoned with, at 85 we read that the mood of the country has changed and a fascist or communist government has come to power. That all criminals, gay people, the disabled and undesirable will be asked to provide or confirm the DNA on file, oh and "while your here can I just tattoo this number on your arm, that's it, good good, now go take a shower."
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2 comments:
You said: "a visitor over at NOID is quick to point out, quite sensibly that this is not the purpose of the database".
It was me you quoted. Then you said:
"...and an already voracious appetite by the police for criminalising all and sundry at the drop of a hat."
I am a recently retired police officer and I can assure you that neither I, nor my colleagues, had any such appetite to criminalise members of the decent, law-abiding majority. Our only interest was to lock up the bad guys who make life a misery for the rest of us and many officers I knew were as uncomfortable about keeping the DNA of unconvicted people as I was.
Firstly stu2630 thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and secondly for pointing out quite rightly that a generalisation such as the one I have made is just that, a generalisation. I thought about changing the original text but felt that it would be unfair to myself and you if I simply did so without offering some form of apology so that those who have already read and perhaps revisited could see that you had cause and good reason to comment as you have. So I apologise for any insult you may have felt due to my wording, it is amazing how the simple word "some" can make a difference.
I am heartened that you are able to state so clearly the views which echo my own, especially in your position as a retired police officer. I only wish that my and others experiences with the police could show that they had the common sense and decency you advocate. Unfortunately, that has not been the case and I have a fervent wish that we could return to the old values of policing. Perhaps with the latest refusal of some forces to bow to the target culture will help in restoring the faith I believe so many have lost.
I wish you and the chaps over at NOID the best of luck in your continued fight.
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