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Written question asked by John Robertson (Labour) on Wednesday, 13 January 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 January 2010. It was answered by Alan Campbell (Labour) on Tuesday, 26 January 2010 on behalf of the Home Office.

DNA: Databases

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many convictions for criminal offences evidence from the National DNA database played a material part in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008 and (e) 2009.
Answer

[holding answer 18 January 2010]: Data are available on the number of detections in which a DNA match was available, but not the number of convictions. The following table shows the number of detections in which a DNA match was available or played a part. Data are collected by financial year, so figures for 2008-09 are the most recent available. The data are for forces in England and Wales only.The figures held do not include crimes detected as a result of one-off speculative searches of the National DNA Database or from comparing DNA profiles in a forensic laboratory. One off speculative searches and DNA profile comparisons are used mainly in the investigation of serious crimes such as murder and rape, and therefore the figures in the table under-represent the overall contribution of DNA matches to the detection of serious crimes such as murder and rape.It is important to note that detections are achieved through integrated criminal investigation, not through DNA alone. The source of the figures provided is the forensic performance data, which are collected by the Home Office from police forces.The data provided are management information and have not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Detections of crimes in which a DNA match was available Additional detections arising from DNA match Total DNA-related detections¹ Total recorded crime
2005-06 20,349 19,960 40,309 5,555,172
2006-07 19,949 21,199 41,148 5,427,558
2007-08 17,614 15,420 33,034 4,951,173
2008-09 17,607 14,602 32,209 4,702,468
¹ 'DNA detections' and 'Additional detections'
Notes:
1. A 'DNA detection' means that the crime was cleared up and a DNA match was available.
2. 'Additional detections arising from the DNA match' occur when, for example, a suspect, on being presented with DNA evidence linking him to one offence, confesses to further offences. They arise from a crime with a DNA match, and are therefore detections where a DNA match played a part in solving the crime.
3. Total 'DNA-related detections' means 'DNA detections' + 'Additional detections arising from the DNA match'.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
504 c806-8W; 311556
Session
2009-10
Subjects
Databases DNA
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk