Reply to: National DNA Database Compulsary?

[SueEllen]

It is. I worked two contracts at the Forensic Science Service on it when they hosted it. Govt got rid of FSS, think it went to the Home Office afterward.

It went extinct as police forces started using outside companies.

[Benny]

There's always a first time.

Have you ever been a Volvo owner perchance?

[MarillionFan]

Good!

If my DNA was a familial match to a serial killer I would be morally obliged to help, wouldn't you?

Depends if it was your dad and he was a cereal killer.

[vetran]

The police in England and Wales have already done that.

There was a man's sister(?) on the database and they got him by using her DNA.

Good!

If my DNA was a familial match to a serial killer I would be morally obliged to help, wouldn't you?

[Runster]

But the database is already up and running -so it would presumably be a matter of scaling up (more tin?) but I'm sure EDS or similar would be involved to completely redesign, upscale, cross link and completely ar*e up what is currently there, in return for billions

It is. I worked two contracts at the Forensic Science Service on it when they hosted it. Govt got rid of FSS, think it went to the Home Office afterward.

[SueEllen]

so a historical brutal rapist & murderer is caught by DNA but the false positive of a relative they came across first because the database wasn't properly organised or regulated had to provide a DNA sample. So long as the sample was taken politely and they didn't take the BBC's helicopter I have no issue with it.


It is no different to police investigating a pie theft talking to a witness and them saying " I saw this really fat bloke trying to run away smeared with pastry shouting 'I should be in the first class lounge'" and them interviewing any suspects that came to mind .

I'm all for Police using DNA if it is properly managed. We use fingerprints, why not DNA?

The police in England and Wales have already done that.

There was a man's sister(?) on the database and they got him by using her DNA.

[vetran]

Worrying turn, now they're searching ancestor sites and using that data.

Serial killer search led to wrong man in 2017 | Daily Mail Online


MF was right.

so a historical brutal rapist & murderer is caught by DNA but the false positive of a relative they came across first because the database wasn't properly organised or regulated had to provide a DNA sample. So long as the sample was taken politely and they didn't take the BBC's helicopter I have no issue with it.


It is no different to police investigating a pie theft talking to a witness and them saying " I saw this really fat bloke trying to run away smeared with pastry shouting 'I should be in the first class lounge'" and them interviewing any suspects that came to mind .

I'm all for Police using DNA if it is properly managed. We use fingerprints, why not DNA?

[SueEllen]

There's always a first time.

In the form of "a stopped clock is right twice a day" you mean/

[Zigenare]

Worrying turn, now they're searching ancestor sites and using that data.

Serial killer search led to wrong man in 2017 | Daily Mail Online
MF was right.

There's always a first time.

[MarillionFan]

Does the Panel think that the national database is an infringement of Human Rights?

BBC NEWS | UK | Mandatory DNA database rejected

Worrying turn, now they're searching ancestor sites and using that data.

Serial killer search led to wrong man in 2017 | Daily Mail Online



MF was right.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I was already in IT at the time, and we discussed this at work. We knew what data they were collecting, as we were in plenty of checks ourselves. We even had a (possibly beer fuelled) discussion about offering our services to write the software to get the data at least indexed (we didn't have a proper database system at the time). That still wouldn't have helped if just looking for a match on car numbers of course.

I'm pretty sure the fact that he'd had 6 different cars was reported in the press as a reason that had hindered the investigation. Simple human error - an assumption that the Ripper wouldn't have had so many cars.



A simple database query on name and address instead of car number. Of course that's with the benefit of hindsight.

This is interesting, but doesn't really answer the question about what it is about having the data in a database that would have allowed for earlier capture or longer detention of the ripper.

To be clear, I don't disagree that a database would have enabled much faster searches and comparisons - but I'm not convinced (either way) that it would have been a significant factor without the appropriate thinking from the users :-)

[Sysman]

Do you have any detailed knowledge of how they conducted this investigation or are you just supposing they were hampered by lack of a database rather than other factors?

I was already in IT at the time, and we discussed this at work. We knew what data they were collecting, as we were in plenty of checks ourselves. We even had a (possibly beer fuelled) discussion about offering our services to write the software to get the data at least indexed (we didn't have a proper database system at the time). That still wouldn't have helped if just looking for a match on car numbers of course.

I'm pretty sure the fact that he'd had 6 different cars was reported in the press as a reason that had hindered the investigation. Simple human error - an assumption that the Ripper wouldn't have had so many cars.

How exactly do you think a database would have delivered evidence allowing them to hold the ripper for longer?

A simple database query on name and address instead of car number. Of course that's with the benefit of hindsight.

[Sysman]

Mmmmm. What are you hiding Jack?????!!!!!!!

Nowt. Just added the last sentence.

[AtW]

Good idea - should be enforced by all chat boards to prevent multiple IDs as well

[DimPrawn]

Surely if New Labour had a DNA database of everyone in the UK, and CCTV cameras on every street and electronic tagging with GPS of every citizen and every home were bugged and spy satellites tracked every living being, and every telephone conversation were recorded, we'd live in a crime free utopia?

Can't wait.