Slashdot Mirror
Californians To Vote On Largest DNA Database
mpthompson writes "California law enforcement officials are backing a proposed ballot measure that would give them authority to operate the largest DNA database in the world and collect DNA samples from everyone arrested or convicted on felony charges."
2006 - Every baby born(for thier own saftey)
2008 - Every Person who commits a Crime (We HAVE to track them!)
2012 - Every Citizen (you have nothing to hide do you Comrade?)
Slashdot, where armchair scientists get shouted down and armchair theologians get modded up.
Oh, it'll only be used for felonies.
Two years pass
Felonies, and extreme, non felonious cases.
Two years pass
Felonies, extreme non felonious cases, and lookin funny.
What's that? Why, of course, we'd never use your toll bridge fast-pass to log your comings and goings!
"Inattention makes clowns of us all" -Bean
It's FELLONS (sic).
It's felons and anyone arrested on felony charges. Whether or not they're subsequently convicted.
If someone is subsequently found not guilty, how is that person different than any other innocent person walking down the street? Why should his DNA be in the database and yours not be?
Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
So when all white or black or hispanic males, ages 25-32, in the City of Los Angeles fit the description of a suspect then anyone of them can be forced to be DNA fingerprinted?
He dismissed the ACLU's concerns about invasion of privacy as "a straw man argument," pointing out that the measure has extensive protections that purge DNA information when a suspect or convict is exonerated.
I hope someone will look very closely at these "extensive protections". There have already been many cases where police have demanded DNA samples from innocent people. The DNA test exonerated them but the police refused to then destroy the DNA fingerprint. Also I have no doubts that the police would run blanket checks against other cases in which the innocent donors are not suspects. When a match comes up positive they will claim that it was done "accidentally". I bet that DNA fingerprints would never actually get purged either due to "computer errors".
On the other hand is a huge privacy issue. While it is true that the innocent SHOULD have nothing to fear the sad fact is that this is not true. Nor can we assume that even if it is true now that it will remain true in the future. The germans had a registration of who had what religion in the 1930's. We all know how that ended. Can you be sure who is in charge of the US or any country proposing a similar scheme in 10 years? That is now 3 elections away.
I have little patience with people just concerned with their privacy. Most of them are just people who don't want to be caught should they ever decide to commit a crime. Guess what sherlock that is part of the reason for introducing such a thing. "Commmit a crime and we will find you" as opposed to now, "Commit a crime and maybe we will find you". The higher the chance of getting caught the more people will be deterred.
On the other hand I do have my doubts if such a system in future might not be abused. So on the one hand yes everyones dna logged will make life a lot harder for criminals. It will also make life a lot easier for anyone seeking to oppress non-criminals in the future. Or people we consider now to be innocent but who might be made to be guilty in the future.
The answer? I don't have one. Anyone who claims they have one are lying. Don't believe those who guarantee the safe use cause they can't. Don't believe the privacy people cause they are not now the victims of crime. The moment their child is murdered they will change their tune faster then a prisoner on his way to the chair.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.