Paul Millar wrote:
>
> This looks like a test for Jack's new DNA database system (see
> http://slashdot.org/articles/01/01/21/0354222_F.shtml link to
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1126000/1126047.stm)
>
> The Herald's article says that they will destroy the samples if your
> innocent. Jack's plan is to retain the sample even if your innocent. This
> effectively bypasses the innocent-until-proven-guilty proviso as you will
> have to _prove_ your innocence when they find a match:
<snip>
>
> Under Jack's scheme, the police would be able to take a DNA sample if they
> _suspected_ you guilty of something. Once your on their database you'll
> not get off it and, as the database size increases, the probability of
> getting a wrong match increases. I've not done the figures coz they'd all
> be highly speculative, but its definitely worrying.
>
The DNA database isn't as clever as it sounds...depending on the quality
of the sample, the chance of "coincidence" changes.
Even with a perfect sample, current sampling technologies mean that the
chance of coincidence is around 180,000 to one, this is due to the
number of comparison points.
Even DNA evidence is not infallible, there was a case in the US where a
guy spent 9 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit after DNA
evidence was used to convict him.
A quick search on Google turned this up on the case:
http://www.law.about.com/newsissues/law/library/weekly/aa112497.htm?rnk=r4&terms=DNA
DNA evidence is only useful when a suspect has been arrived at through
other means, it should not be seen as evidence _and_ motive.
A search for the case of "David Hicks" is another where DNA evidence is
being challenged, because, like fingerprints, as soon as human beings
are brought into the analysis process, there is scope for things to go
wrong, either.
Oh, and for the mathematically inclined amongst
us...http://dna-view.com/profile.htm
HTH
Kevin
ps. and this is probably OT though stimulating :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.lug.org.uk http://www.linuxportal.co.uk
http://www.linuxjob.co.uk http://www.linuxshop.co.uk
--------------------------------------------------------------------
