Comments on: Home Office to clean up its DNA act http://idealgovernment.com/2009/05/home_office_cleans_up_its_dna_act/ What do we want from Internet-age government? Wouldn't it be better if... Wed, 14 May 2014 08:35:11 +0000 hourly 1 By: Guy Herbert http://idealgovernment.com/2009/05/home_office_cleans_up_its_dna_act/comment-page-1/#comment-2797 Sun, 10 May 2009 21:12:57 +0000 http://home_office_cleans_up_its_dna_act#comment-2797 There’s no evidence that the Home Office intends to run the database in line with the spirit of the ECHR judgment: which was pretty clearly, “retention not legitimate at all”. It is taking advantage of the fact the court failed to state that, because it was not required to address what period other than eternity would be a permissible trespass on privacy.

What they are planning on doing (though not yet, not nearly yet) is holding DNA and fingerprints of those not convicted, or not charged, with minor offences for about as long as it takes to get to the court, where they will then be forced to argue the disproportion limb of the argument in order for the court to take a view on the particular retention period the home office has chosen. This is calculated to avoid that limit being litigated at all.

I have a strong suspicion when it comes to an SI they will calculate the retention period prospectively only, so those who are on the database will stay on for the moment.

]]> By: Adam McGreggor http://idealgovernment.com/2009/05/home_office_cleans_up_its_dna_act/comment-page-1/#comment-2796 Thu, 07 May 2009 01:50:58 +0000 http://home_office_cleans_up_its_dna_act#comment-2796 There’s also < http://reclaimyourdna.org> which launched at the beginning of the month…

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