Getting from A to D

Via William Heath of Ideal Government we are treated to this little history lesson:

a) in 1984 the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act made it illegal for the police to retain DNA records taken from people who were not subsequently prosecuted or convicted;

b) in 1985 British police started using DNA fingerprinting and gave assurances that samples would be destroyed unless there was a conviction;

c) during the period from 1985 to 2000 the police retained all DNA fingerprint data in clear defiance of PACE; the government was aware that the police were acting illegally

d) in 2001 this government introduced the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 which included a clause that authorised and retrospectively legalised 15 years of illegal police activity in retaining the DNA records of people who have not been convicted of any crime.

Today we are treated to assurances about ID cards. Now I’m not saying that the ID card business will turn out to be similar, you know, with assurances broken, liberties taken, information recording expanded and access to information widened and even compromised………No, wait, that’s what I am saying.

Posted by John at June 30, 2005 12:42 PM | TrackBack