purplecthulhu

I posted this elsewhere in discussion of the suggested mandatory DNA databse for everyone in the country...

What is worse - convicting the innocent or letting the guilty go free? As
a society we have traditionally felt that convicting the innocent is
worse (and I strongly agree with this). This is the reason why it's
difficult to convict someone, and it should stay difficult. By all means
use the tools science makes available, but use them in a way that
minimises the chance for the innocent to be convicted. Fishing
expeditions in a vast and, probably, poorly maintained DNA database will not
minimise the chance of the innocent being convicted, so they should be
avoided.

Of course one can take the opposite view, that we should lock up everyone
who is or appears guilty and not care if they're innocent. This seems to
be the emerging view from the Home Office, especially in relation to
terrorist offenses. You might support it, I don't.

I posted this elsewhere in discussion of the suggested mandatory DNA databse for everyone in the country...

What is worse - convicting the innocent or letting the guilty go free? As
a society we have traditionally felt that convicting the innocent is
worse (and I strongly agree with this). This is the reason why it's
difficult to convict someone, and it should stay difficult. By all means
use the tools science makes available, but use them in a way that
minimises the chance for the innocent to be convicted. Fishing
expeditions in a vast and, probably, poorly maintained DNA database will not
minimise the chance of the innocent being convicted, so they should be
avoided.

Of course one can take the opposite view, that we should lock up everyone
who is or appears guilty and not care if they're innocent. This seems to
be the emerging view from the Home Office, especially in relation to
terrorist offenses. You might support it, I don't.

I'm told that:

'Just under two weeks ago, the Independent reported that the Government has admitted that an eighth of all records on the DNA database are false, misspelled, or incorrect — over half a million records.'

So if this were rolled out across the country there'd be 7.5 million incorrect entries.

Not exactly fit for purpose.

And that National ID Database is going to be more complicated, so is likely to be even less reliable.

I'm told that:

'Just under two weeks ago, the Independent reported that the Government has admitted that an eighth of all records on the DNA database are false, misspelled, or incorrect — over half a million records.'

So if this were rolled out across the country there'd be 7.5 million incorrect entries.

Not exactly fit for purpose.

And that National ID Database is going to be more complicated, so is likely to be even less reliable.