Against Proposition 69 and the DNA Fingerprint Act Essay -- DNA Databa

AbstractCalifornias mesmerism 69 and the deoxyribonucleic acid fingerprint Act both expand criminal desoxyribonucleic acid databasesfar beyond what is necessary to protect citizens and prosecute violent crime. DNA profilingtechniques and databases shake up developed largely over the last fifteen years, and the recentexpansions are completely a part of an ongoing trend of function creep that characterizes databaseexpansion. Proposition 69 and the DNA Fingerprint Act expand DNA databases originallydesigned to house DNA samples from violent criminals to include samples from anyone arrestedfor a felony crime. This is unreasonable because many persons arrested for felonies are everconvicted or even tried, but under these expansions their DNA will be stored in a criminal DNAdatabase alongside convicted rapists, murderers, and separate felons.California Proposition 69 and the DNA Fingerprint ActConsiderable Expansions in Criminal DNA DatabasesProposition 69, passed last November by vo ters in California, and the DNA FingerprintAct, passed recently in Congress, both significantly expand DNA databases designed to houseand identify DNA samples from dangerous, violent criminals. These recent expansions are onlypart are only part of a function creep phenomenon that has characterized DNA databaseexpansion since states began keeping DNA profiles on record in the 1990s. non until recently,however, have the expansions crossed the line between legitimate DNA profiling for lawenforcement or forensic purposes and an invasion of privacy. Proposition 69 and the DNAFingerprint Act do not significantly improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to prosecuteviolent criminals. Instead, they treat many innocent citizens as criminals, storing their res... ...2048/cgi/content/ to the full/352/26/26692Simoncelli, Tania. Steinhardt, Barry. Californias Proposition 69 A dangerous precedent forcriminal DNA databases. Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics. Internet. cited 2005 Oct 3. Available from http//search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=177686463Rothstein, Mark A. Genetic justice. The New England Journal of Medicine. Internet. cited2005 Nov 6. Available from http//content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/352/26/26674Proposition 69 DNA samples, collection, database, funding, initiative statute. CaliforniaSecretary of State. Internet. cited 2005 Oct 15. Available fromhttp//222.ss.ca.gov/elections/bp_nov04/prop_60_entire.pdfSenate reauthorizes violence against women 5 act. Senator Jon Kyl Press Office. Internet. cited2005 Oct 15. Available from http//kyl.senate/gov/record.cfm?id=246925