The National DNA Database

national dna database USA in blue lights
What is the national DNA database? A national DNA database stores genetic samples taken from individuals of a particular country. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) contains all the genetic instructions for living organisms. Each individual has a unique DNA signature.
 
Law enforcement professionals can use a DNA database to solve crimes by matching DNA evidence from crime scenes with stored DNA samples. These databases can also be used by scientists for genome studies and other medical projects.

National DNA Database History

The first national DNA database was created in the United Kingdom in 1995. Since then, many other nations have developed their own DNA databases. Some of these include:
  • France
  • Germany
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • United States.

The United States National DNA Database

The United States national DNA database is controlled by the FBI. Named CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), it was created from the ideas in a white paper written by the Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (TWGDAM). This paper introduced the possibility of sharing DNA information among crime labs, in much the way fingerprints are commonly stored and matched.
 
In 1990, the FBI launched an experimental DNA database project with six state and local crime labs. They developed software which allowed the sharing of DNA profiles with other crime labs. By 1994, the DNA Identification Act gave formal authorization for the FBI to operate CODIS. This national DNA database became fully operational in 1998.

The Growth of our National DNA Database

The U.S. national DNA database was originally intended only for sex offenders. Over time it has been extended to include most criminal offences. In 2003, President Bush proposed that the database include DNA profiles from both juveniles and adults who had been arrested but not convicted of any crime.
 
The Justice for All Act of 2004 further opened the door for expansion. This act allows for the inclusion of any DNA information collected by any state. The only exceptions are:
  • DNA profiles of those arrested but not charged in an indictment
  • DNA samples voluntarily submitted for purposes of elimination from a crime scene.
The national DNA database now has the potential to include genetic profiles for every single U.S. citizen. In April of 2008, President Bush signed into law a proposal ordering the government to create a "national contingency plan" to collect and store genetic information for all newborns. This information could be collected without the consent of parents.
 
The plan is for the babies to be screened for 200 possible conditions. Genetic links to behavioral problems may also be explored.

Pros and Cons of a National DNA Database

Collecting DNA information is often a source of controversy. While this practice has a clear value in criminal justice applications, it also raises some serious civil liberties questions. Weighing the pros and cons of a national DNA database can help clarify your personal feelings on this issue.
 
Here are some ways the national DNA database is helpful to society:
  • accurate and fast identification of offenders
  • critical leads for police investigators
  • earlier criminal arrests
  • earlier detection and treatment of disease
  • exonerating innocent suspects
  • increased convictions of offenders.

Some potential negative consequences that could arise from widespread collection of DNA information include:

  • denial of health coverage
  • denial of life insurance
  • discrimination by employers
  • enforcement of eugenics (selective breeding)
  • uncertainty about what research is being performed using citizen's DNA
  • violation of privacy through leakage of information.
Resources
 
Home office (n.d.). The national DNA database. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from the HomeOffice.gov.uk Web site: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/using-science/dna-database/.
 
Privacy International (2006). The United States and the development of DNA data banks. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from the Privacy International Web site: www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5B347%5D=x-347-528471.
 
Unruh, Bob (2008). National DNA database gets kickstart from feds. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from the WorldNetDaily Web site: www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63112.
 
Willing, Richard (2003). White House seeks to expand DNA database. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from the USA Today Web site: www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-04-15-dna-usat_x.htm.