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NY Governor Wants To Expand DNA Database

Posted by samzenpus on from the leave-your-swab-at-the-door dept.

crimeandpunishment writes "If Governor David Paterson has his way, New York would take DNA samples from even the lowest level of criminal, doubling the state's DNA database. He says it would help to both solve crimes and clear people who were wrongly convicted. New York would become the first state in the country to do this. Currently DNA isn't collected in most misdemeanors. The plan is getting lots of support among law enforcement, but the New York Civil Liberties Union says there are questions about privacy."

5 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. By what perversion of logic? by Nadaka · · Score: 4, Informative

    How is this supposed to clear the wrongly convicted?

    If you are wrongly convicted, you wont have much issue providing your own DNA to get free.

    This has only a few applications:

    With current technology a matching genetic pattern can be generated. This would make a great tool for acquiring genetic patterns for the fabrication of evidence and false convictions.
    Even without such fabrication, genetic evidence can be abused to implicate someone that just happened to have passed through the location of a crime days, weeks or months before the event.

  2. If this bothers you, look at the US House by e9th · · Score: 5, Informative

    The U.S. House wants to collect DNA from people merely arrested. And they'll pay the states to do it.

  3. Re:NYC Governor? by sexconker · · Score: 4, Informative

    As a New Yorker, I've never quite understood why Albany is the capital and not NYC.

    New York city has some great things, but they're merely the occasional nut in the turd that is the main course. Have you ever seen a sitcom on TV? Most of them take place in New York, and most of them feature annoying, self-absorbed douche bags like Ted Mosby.

  4. Re:And then the crackdown on jaywalkers by ImNotAtWork · · Score: 4, Informative

    They can use anything they want against you and do not have to provide DNA evidence that exonerates you per a SCOTUS ruling. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/us/19scotus.html?_r=1&hp

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  5. Re:I got no problem with this. by actionbastard · · Score: 4, Informative

    Criminals gave up their rights when they committed a crime.

    Obviously you are not familiar with the Constitution of the United States or the Bill of Rights.

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