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Terri
05-08-2003, 10:20 PM
Supporters, Critics Debate DNA Database Expansion

Friday, May 09, 2003
By Liza Porteus
Fox News

WASHINGTON — A Bush administration plan to expand federal DNA databases by compelling virtually anyone arrested to give up their genetic code has sparked debate between supporters who say it will solve more cases and critics who insist it is too intrusive.

The plan would, among other things, give law enforcement better tools to analyze rape kits and other "cold case" evidence that has gone unexamined for years, identify missing people, exonerate those wrongly accused or convicted of crimes and conduct more DNA analysis of samples from possible offenders. It also aims to reduce the DNA backlogs currently facing many law enforcement agencies.

The Justice Department version currently being finalized with leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary committees would commit more than $1 billion over the next five years to the plan, which would extend to all levels of the criminal justice system.

Full Story (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86390,00.html )

Constitutional American
05-09-2003, 07:21 AM
I'll chime in here...

Quote[/b] ]plan to expand federal DNA databases by compelling virtually anyone arrested to give up their genetic code
I'm not sure what they mean by "compelling".
If they mean "to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly", as Webster suggests, I think it's a horrible idea.
If they somehow mean voluntarily that's a different story.

Last I knew we still supported the idea of "innocent until proven guilty" for people who are arrested.
So essentially the plan is to "compel" innocent people to surrender their DNA.