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19-01-2009, 03:52 PM
CAMBRIDGESHIRE police have stored nearly 60,000 profiles on the national DNA database - equivalent to one in every 10 people in the county.
The database includes the genetic details of 7,500 children who were arrested in the county. Some of the children are as young as 10.
Many of the people whose records are included in the figures, released to the News under freedom of information powers, have never been convicted of a crime.
Civil liberties campaigners - including Cambridge MP David Howarth - called for the ever-growing database to be scaled back.
But the Cambridgeshire force said it played a key role in fighting crime. Currently it takes DNA samples from anyone arrested on suspicion of committing a recordable crime.
While the profiles of 4.3 million people are stored by police forces nationwide, last month European judges ruled that retention of the genetic details of 857,000 innocent citizens was unlawful.
The Government has until March to comply with the judgment.
Cambridgeshire police have placed 58,000 profiles on the database, including 162 children aged 10 and 355 aged 11 - although some profiles may be duplicates.
Official estimates put the county's population at 597,000.
Andrew Watson, co-ordinator of the Cambridge NO2ID campaign, said: "It is a fundamental right that each of us should be able to continue our lives unmolested by the state unless the state has a good reason. The database stigmatises people."
David Howarth said the DNA was a useful but "far from perfect" crime-fighting tool, warning that around 500,000 profiles on the register were incorrect and that the growth of the database had not increased detection rates.
He said: "It is important to confine the permanent database to people convicted of crimes, with perhaps the addition for a specific period of time of those accused of serious crimes."
A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said the force followed national guidelines.
She added: "We get about 50 DNA matches a month. However, officers look for supporting evidence before bringing charges."
Of the surrounding forces, Essex police had loaded the highest number of profiles, 136,000.
Bedfordshire stored 49,000 and Hertfordshire had included 80,000, compared with Suffolk's figure of 51,000.
A Home Office spokeswoman said the database had "revolutionised the way the police can protect the public through identifying offenders and securing more convictions".
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The database includes the genetic details of 7,500 children who were arrested in the county. Some of the children are as young as 10.
Many of the people whose records are included in the figures, released to the News under freedom of information powers, have never been convicted of a crime.
Civil liberties campaigners - including Cambridge MP David Howarth - called for the ever-growing database to be scaled back.
But the Cambridgeshire force said it played a key role in fighting crime. Currently it takes DNA samples from anyone arrested on suspicion of committing a recordable crime.
While the profiles of 4.3 million people are stored by police forces nationwide, last month European judges ruled that retention of the genetic details of 857,000 innocent citizens was unlawful.
The Government has until March to comply with the judgment.
Cambridgeshire police have placed 58,000 profiles on the database, including 162 children aged 10 and 355 aged 11 - although some profiles may be duplicates.
Official estimates put the county's population at 597,000.
Andrew Watson, co-ordinator of the Cambridge NO2ID campaign, said: "It is a fundamental right that each of us should be able to continue our lives unmolested by the state unless the state has a good reason. The database stigmatises people."
David Howarth said the DNA was a useful but "far from perfect" crime-fighting tool, warning that around 500,000 profiles on the register were incorrect and that the growth of the database had not increased detection rates.
He said: "It is important to confine the permanent database to people convicted of crimes, with perhaps the addition for a specific period of time of those accused of serious crimes."
A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said the force followed national guidelines.
She added: "We get about 50 DNA matches a month. However, officers look for supporting evidence before bringing charges."
Of the surrounding forces, Essex police had loaded the highest number of profiles, 136,000.
Bedfordshire stored 49,000 and Hertfordshire had included 80,000, compared with Suffolk's figure of 51,000.
A Home Office spokeswoman said the database had "revolutionised the way the police can protect the public through identifying offenders and securing more convictions".
Click here to vote on poll
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=381874