Worldwide - Thursday, April 17, 2008 16:10 - 0 Comments

Home of the Free… My Ass

The US government will begin collecting DNA samples from every person arrested under federal laws. Federal agencies are authorized to collect DNA samples under a 2006 amendment to the Violence Against Women Act, but previously had only collected DNA from people actually convicted of federal crimes. Using authority granted by Congress, the government also plans to collect DNA samples from foreigners who are detained, whether they have been charged or not. The DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, Justice Department spokesman Erik Ablin said Wednesday.

Supporters of the new measures say the expanded database will help prevent crime, but civil rights groups have expressed privacy concerns. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. sponsored the 2005 law that gave the Justice Department this authority.

It is being erroneously reported that thirteen states have implemented similar laws and that these laws have been upheld in court. Thirteen states have implemented laws, and in November 2007, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit did rule that all convicted federal felons must provide DNA samples to a federal database available to police departments throughout the country. In 2005, the Third Circuit ruled that a convicted bank robber had to submit DNA samples to CODIS. Also a New Jersey state appeals court upheld a comparable state law in 2005. Notice the term “convicted” Continue…