Challenging Liberty: The Danger of DNA DatabasesDevon Douglas-Bowers While DNA databases may seem new, this is only because they are recently coming back into the news. They have been around for quite some time as, since 1988, every US state has established a database of criminal offenders DNA profiles with the goal of quickly and accurately [matching] known offenders with crime scene evidence.[3] Politicians are arguing that taking DNA samples of criminals will actually lower crime, as the DNA works as a deterrent by increasing the likelihood that a criminal will be convicted if they are caught. However, this may not be the case, as a working paper from the University of Virginia found last year that, The probability of reoffending and being convicted for any offense is 3.7 percentage points (23.4%) higher for those with a profile in the DNA database than those without , (emphasis added) and, that DNA profiling mainly affects younger criminals with multiple convictions, as they are 85.6% more likely to be convicted of a crime within three years of release than their unprofiled counterparts.[4] Thus, on a practical level, we should be skeptical as to whether or not DNA databases will actually lower crime in the long term. A separate but equally important issue in regards to these DNA databases is the assault on our privacy. Barry Steinhardt, then-Associate Director of the ACLU, stated back in 2000 that: In the dissenting opinion of the Supreme Court case, Maryland v. King, many of the Justices echoed this worry of law enforcement using the DNA databases to attempt to solve old crimes, with Justice Scalia stating, Solving unsolved crimes is a noble objective, but it occupies a lower place in the American pantheon of noble objectives than the protection of our people from suspicionless law-enforcement searches. The Fourth Amendment must prevail. [8] DNA databasing is dangerous as it provides a future diary of sorts, which has the potential to reveal to third parties a persons predisposition to illnesses or behaviors without the persons knowledge; and it is permanent information, deeply personal, with predictive powers and thus [calls] into question the very meaning and possibility of human liberty[9] as it can lead into the slippery slope of pre-crime, especially with regard to a persons behaviors. In addition to this, DNA databasing could negatively impact minorities and the poor, and even allow peoples family members to be arrested, as Wired reported back in 2011: Yet, what is most worrying is the expansion of DNA databasing from major criminal offenders such as murderers and rapists to now including some low-level crimes, including shoplifting and drug possession.[11] This expansion of DNA databasing to include even victimless crimes is quite worrisome as it shows that we are moving to a state of law where virtually any crime will allow the police to draw and database ones DNA. With the passing of this ruling and the steadily increasing implementation of DNA databasing on the state level, an ember in the light of freedom is quietly extinguished. References: [1] Jesse Holland, Supreme Court Rules Police Can Take DNA Swabs From Arrestees, Time Magazine, June 3, 2013 ( http://swampland.time.com/2013/06/03/supreme-court-rules-police-can-take-dna-swabs-from-arrestees/ ) [2] Ryan Hutchins, Bill to require DNA collection for some low-level crimes passes N.J. Senate, The Star Ledger, June 24, 2013 (http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/06/bill_to_require_dna_collection_for_some_low-level_crimes_passes_nj_senate.html#incart_river ) [3] L. Doleac, Jennifer, The Effects of DNA Databases On Crime, University of Virginia, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Working Paper 01, 2012.http://www.batten.virginia.edu/content/2013-001-effects-dna-databases-crime-jennifer-doleac-860 [4] Ibid [5] American Civil Liberties Union, DNA Databases Hold More Dangers Than Meet the Eye, ACLU Says, http://www.aclu.org/technology-and-liberty/dna-databases-hold-more-dangers-meet-eye-aclu-says, March 23, 2000 [6] Pam Spaulding, Police use Taser on unarmed, nude child with autism wandering on highway , Firedoglake, http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/2013/06/21/police-use-taser-on-unarmed-nude-child-wandering-on-highway/ (June 21, 2013) [7] Candice Roman-Santos, Concerns Associated with Expanding DNA Databases, Hastings Science Technology Law Journal 2:267 (2010), pg 20 [8] Liz Goodwin, In dissent, Scalia joins with courts liberals to blast police DNA testing without warrant, Yahoo! News, June 3, 2013 ( http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/dissent-scalia-joins-court-liberals-blast-police-dna-184252969.html ) [9] Christine Rosen, Liberty, Privacy, and DNA Databases, The New Atlantic, 1:1 Spring 2003, pg 39 [10] Brandon Keim, Forensic DNA Could Make Criminal Justice Less Fair, Wired, October 7, 2011 (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/10/forensic-dna/) [11] The Star Ledger , June 24, 2013 Devon Douglas-Bowers is a Political Science major at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He runs a blog entitled, What About Peace, and has contributed to Global Research. He is also on the External Advisory Group of The Peoples Book Project.This article first appeared at The Hampton Institute. 