Objections to the “DNA database”

Is it just me, or has there been a hell of a lot of coverage recently regarding the use of forensic teams and techniques to clear up unsolved murder cases? In the last week alone we have sent the sentencing of several random maniacs, whose convictions would not have been possible without the use of technology and/or men with glasses.

In fact, you can’t turn on the news without it looking like an episode of “CSI: Dull Provincial Town” with policemen dressed in white jumpsuits rooting through bins or whatever.

The increased media coverage of this kind of crime detection does of course have an ulterior motive-to promote the proposed “DNA database”.

Like most people in the country I am unsure of the exact nature of this database, and whether or not it is actually a valid proposal by the government, and am woefully ignorant of what kind of data will kep and how it will be collated/used. However, despite that, like everyone else in the country this will of course not prevent me from having an opinion that I am only to willing to share at the slightest provocation.

My main bugbear at present is that the TV is constantly interrupted by middle class liberals claiming that this is a direct violation of our human rights (presumably on the grounds that they are terrified they might now be arrested and sent to prison for smoking a joint in 1992).

In an era where so many more aspects of our lives are public domain (often at our own request) it seems very churlish to reject this idea out of hand because it is in some nebulous way “intrusive”. No more intrusive that posting your details on social networking site I would say, except it might actually help you (or a loved one) as opposed to just resulting in a barrage of messages from various human detritus you went to school with, asking for money for their crackpot and addle-pated money making schemes.

I’m more than happy for my data to be added, if only because I’m fairly certain I’m not the kind of person who is likely to go on a murderous rampage (although regular readers may be surprised to learn this) and that the presence of my data on such a database would help to exclude myself (and millions of others) from the enquiry, thereby increasing the chances that the true culprit would be found.

On the other hand, if I am stupid or unlucky enough to actually commit a crime, surely I really can’t be in a position to complain if I actually am convicted? I can’t say “I strongly object to this project on ethical grounds and do not wish to be part of it, as I have not yet entirely ruled out the possibility of killing a few people in the coming years (possibly just to keep me active throughout retirement)”.

There are numerous concerns of course-the most common being that other people in the world could conceivably have the same genetic data. My answer to that is that if you actually get convicted for a crime carried out by your Chinese doppelganger, the universe must hate you for a very valid reason.

DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL, CHINESE DOPPELGANGERS!!!!