Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Federal Agencies To Collect Genetic Info

Posted by Zonk on from the like-collecting-stamps-only-rude dept.

protagoras writes "According to a bill approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, suspects arrested or detained by federal authorities may have their DNA forcibly collected for permanent storage in a central database. The bill is supported by the White House as well, but has not yet gone to the floor for a vote. Current law permits this only for those convicted of a crime. So even though completely innocent, should the Feds decide to detain you for any reason, your genetic data will grace their database beside that from murders, terrorists, and other miscreants." From the article: "The provision, co-sponsored by Kyl and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), does not require the government to automatically remove the DNA data of people who are never convicted. Instead, those arrested or detained would have to petition to have their information removed from the database after their cases were resolved. Privacy advocates are especially concerned about possible abuses such as profiling based on genetic characteristics."

9 of 428 comments (clear)

  1. At it again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Republicans at it again, always touting "smaller government" while doing the exact opposite...

    pathetic...

    Cheers,
    J

    1. Re:At it again by jonfelder · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The current government is -not- Republican. Just so you know, I'm not either.

      They are neo-cons. Republican's are traditionally small government, and pro states rights. The current administration is anything but. There are many true republicans out there that dislike the current government just as much as liberals do.

  2. This is especially troubling... by null+etc. · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...because of the FBI's recently-announced task force to crack down on "deviant" porn on the Internet. Should you be detained or arrested for such a crime, even if not found guilty, your DNA would be tied on-file to the sexual preferences which caused you to get busted.

  3. Anti-conservative Republicans. by CyricZ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Indeed, this further shows how anti-conservative the Republican Party has become. True conservatives would never support legislation that intrudes so terribly into the lives of innocent citizens. It's against the very ideals that a real conservative holds.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  4. Quite a development, really.... by Malor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's like bar codes on your forehead, without the pesky tattoo.

    This is the ultimate surveillance tool. It trumps all other forms of ID.

  5. That will help in rounding up the Jews by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful


    Imagine if Hitler had this capability, now substitute the word "Jews" for any other ethnic minority/oppressed/handicapped people and see how chilling a database like this could be used, but we all know that Hitler and his ideas was just a one off and those kinds of ideas couldnt happen here right ?, right ?

    where exactly is America heading ?

  6. What are you going to do about it? by CyricZ · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm not sure if you're an American or not, but if you are, what are you planning to do about this? I mean, at least you're aware of this situation now. That's probably a step ahead of most Americans. But are there any Americans who are actually willing to do something serious about this? And by "serious" I mean not just posting messages of displeasure on various Internet forums or blogs.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  7. Makes sense. by RyanFenton · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Since they're "detaining" people without charging them with crimes now on a fairly large scale, in cases where they don't want to be forced to show their evidence in a public setting, they'd need this loophole to track people who they feel they unfairly have to release for what they feel are political reasons. Seems a consistant, if highly corrupted logic.

    Reminds me of the British legal tradition of jailing people without any right to a speedy trial. Seems like we created a constitution in order to get away from that kind of thing.

    Ryan Fenton

  8. Re:The reason why they want this by 0123456 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "I found the best way to avoid false incrimination is to not leave my DNA at crime scenes."

    So what will you do when a criminal _does_ leave your DNA at a crime scene?