What are the benefits?

The NDNAD is key to the way that police tackle crime in today's technology enabled world. DNA evidence allows crimes to be more easily solved, including old cases. Searching the database for a chance match with a new crime scene profile identifies a suspect in about 60% of cases. The possibility of sharing information with other national DNA databases adds an international dimension to the mix. It is not just about finding the guilty however. DNA evidence can prove someone innocent – even after they have been convicted.

The chances of two people having the same DNA profile are less than 1 in 1 billion. Finding a DNA match may not lead to a conviction because of a lack of other supporting evidence, but being able to identify suspects quickly saves both police time and money.

Advocates for the NDNAD argue that higher criminal detection rates, ‘safer’ convictions and increased public confidence in the police are the greatest benefits of the database. However, the effectiveness of the NDNAD has yet to be rigorously evaluated.

Quite apart from its role in fighting crime, the NDNAD is a potential gold mine for researchers. The profiles themselves are of little interest, but the original DNA samples contain unlimited genetic information.

Should the NDNAD be expanded to cover the whole UK population?

A move towards a universal database is looking less likely following the European Court’s ruling against the government in the S and Marper Case, and the publication of the 2011 Protection of Freedoms Bill. Expansion of the database does, though, remain a possibility.

Pros

Cons

  • Could potentially help the police solve more crimes - especially 'cold cases'
  • Would eliminate current ethnic and gender bias, e.g. towards young, black men
  • Little evidence that more crimes would be solved just by making the database bigger
  • Bigger databases increase the possibility of false matches
  • Hugely expensive
  • Seen by many as a further infringement of privacy and human rights
  • Individuals seen as potential offenders not as law abiding citizens
  • Debatable whether the safety benefit to society would outweigh the loss of individual privacy

2008-9 Statistics

  • Nearly 800 ‘scene-of-crime-to-suspect’ matches reported per week
  • One or more suspects linked to:
    • 322 murder or manslaughter cases
    • 1,507 drugs cases
    • 1,029 rape and other sex cases
    • 11,890 domestic burglaries
Primary school children in NDNAD

In March 2008 Britain's most senior forensic officer suggested that primary school children should be added to the DNA database if they showed behaviour that would suggest future criminality