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Written question asked by Dominic Grieve (Conservative) on Thursday, 4 December 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 December 2008. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 December 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Genetics: Databases

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 10 September 2008, Official Report, columns 1767-8W, on genetics: databases, of the 14,000 offences linked to DNA profiles retained since 2001, how many were detected crimes in which an offender was brought to justice.
Answer

It has been assumed that this question refers to the written answer on 10 July 2008, Official Report, columns 1767-8W (as the Official Report for 10 September 2008 does not include a written answer at columns 1767-8W on Genetics: Databases).The written answer on 10 July 2008, Official Report, columns 1767-8W referred to research information on the number of DNA profiles taken from persons arrested, charged but not convicted of an offence that have resulted in a DNA match, providing the police with an intelligence link on the possible identity of the offender and assisting in the detection of crimes. The research information indicated that in the period May 2001 to December 2005, an estimated 200,000 DNA samples taken from people charged with offences had been retained on the NDNAD, which would previously have had to be removed because of the absence of a conviction. From these, approximately 8,500 profiles of individuals have been linked with crime scene profiles, involving nearly 14,000 offences. These offences included 114 murders, 55 attempted murders and 116 rapes.No information is available on how many of the 14,000 offences linked to DNA profiles retained since 2001 were detected and on whether an offender was brought to justice. It is understood that this information would have been too time-consuming for the researchers to collate; it would have involved requesting information on the outcomes of the 14,000 crimes from the 43 police forces in England and Wales and subsequent checks by forces of case record systems.I have asked the National Policing Improvement Agency to look into the possibility of updating the research information on the number of DNA profiles taken from persons arrested, charged but not convicted of an offence that have resulted in a DNA match, providing the police with information on the possible identity of the offender.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
485 c723W; 241669
Session
2008-09
Subjects
Databases DNA
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk