UK National DNA Database Flashcards
Introduction
- One of the most significant innovations in crime fighting in recent history
- Has provided more than half a million matches to unsolved crimes to date
- Provides police with vital intelligence during investigations
- Enables police to link crimes that are not obviously connected
- Saves police a large amount of time and money on enquiries by identifying suspects quickly
- Gives police a tool to revisit cold cases that would otherwise remain unsolved
- 1946 murder- last person to see the victim exonerated after 50 years
Background
- Launched April 1995 to cover England and Wales
- Aimed to identify suspects committing serious crimes
- Key principle: criminals that commit most serious crimes often commit less serious crimes first (Yorkshire ripper)
- Suspects identified quickly if already on database
- Owned by the HO- often 36 vetted individuals have access
- 2016/17 became part of the Forensic Information Databases Service (FINDS) that combines the DNA databases with the national fingerprint database
- Also takes responsibility for the forensic archive
- Effectively two linked databases
o DNA from known individuals
o Crime scene DNA data - Database is PRO-ACTIVE – looking for suspects when you have DNA from the crime scene
- Key to success is have a large number of people on the database and sensitive techniques to detect the DNA
- Since 2001 has produce around 675,000 matches to unsolved crimes
What are someother collections?
**Missing persons DNA database(MPDD) **
o DNA profiles belongings of missing people e.g., toothbrush as has a good DNA profile generally
o DNA profiles from close relative of missing people
o DNA profiles of unidentified bodies
o About 2000 profiles
o 3 matches in 2017/18
Vulnerable persons DNA database (VPDD)
o DNA profiles of people at risk of harm who have asked to have profile stored
o Not stored on the NDNAD
o Currently about 4500 records held
**Counter terrorism DNA database (CTDNAD) **
**Central elimination database (CED) **
o Currently under development
o Police elimination database
o Manufacturers elimination database
o Contamination elimination database
**Rapid DNA **
o Since March 2018- about 800 records
Whats some governance?
*** FINDS strategy board (2017) **
o Police
o Police commissioners
o Home office
o Forensic biometrics and group chair
o Information and biometric commissioners
o Forensic regulator
o Police representative of Scotland and Ireland
*** Biometrics and forensics ethics group (BFEG) (2017) **
o Ethical issues associated with all forensic identification tools
What are the reference DNA profiles?
- Reference Samples from known individuals (CJ samples)
- Arrested individuals
- Associated victims, relatives, and volunteer samples
o Can only be used in relation to the reference case - Intimate (blood)- needs consent
- Non-intimate (mouth swabs or plucked hair) taken without consent
- Laboratory needs to be accredited specifically to load samples to the database
What information is on the DNA reference database?
*** The DNA profiles **
o SGM- 6 loci, 12 numbers (before 1996)
o SGM Plus 10 loci + Amelogenin, 20 numbers (beyond 1996)
o DNA17- 16 loci plus Amelogenin, 32 numbers (2017)
o Number are the numbers of alleles of that profile
o **Male-female indicator as well today **
- 8-digit barcode links to collection
- Also in the collection is the: **Name, sex, ethnicity code of reference individual **
*** Arrest summons number **
o Sample linked to information on police national computer (PNC)
o PNC is series of linked data on criminals, vehicles, and property
- Attempt to match crime scene profile with an individual
What power do the police have?
What must they only use the database for?
*** Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 **
o People suspects of committing a recordable offence
o People stopped in relation to a question of terrorism
o Ant sample at a scene of crime
- Must only be used for
o Prevention or detection of crime
o Prosecution of a crime
o Identifying a deceased person
Types of crime scene samples it can identify?
- DNA profiles from human body fluids
- Crime scene samples
o Blood
o Semen
o Saliva
o Skin cells
o Mixtures of people and/ or body fluid types
What is the suitability criteria for entry to the database?
- Crime scene profiles may be very poor
- Minimum criteria to load to database is 4 complete SGM loci (the original 6 loci, this is so they are all compatible with all the different profiles across the years) plus amelogenin
- SGM- D8, D18, D21, FGA, TH01 and VWA
- ‘complete’ means that the allelic composition at a locus must be able to be defined as homozygotic (has to be a set peak so as not a drop-out occurred and is just homozygous), or heterozygotic
- ‘major’ profiles from mixtures
How does it work?
- DNA profiles from suspects added to database during the data and searched against the crime scene profiles overnight
- Matches are reported back to the supplying laboratory
o **A Match ** - Most CJ (criminal justice) samples have 20/20 or 19/20 designed SGM plus components plus gender identification- **full profile **
- Many crime scene samples have fewer designated components because of degradation- **partial profile **
What type of information is search for using this database?
** Person- Person **
o Information on previous convictions, false names, multiple arrests
** Person- Scene **
o Provides possible suspect names
*** Scene- Scene **
o Links crimes
*** Familial links **
o Serious crimes only
o Needs approval by FINDS strategy board
o Can only search reference profiles on NDNAD
o Used with other intelligence- age, geography
o 13 searches only in 2017/18
*** Twins/ triplets **
o Around 9500 sets on NDNAD
o Use fingerprints
Does it work?
- Currently, NDNAD provides matches for the police against 32,000 crimes per annum (over 600 perweek)
- In a typical month matches found linking suspects to:
o 50 murders- Serious crime
o 60 rapes-Serious crime
o 120 crime to crime scene links (serial offenders)
o 200 non routine partial intelligence links
o 2500 motor vehicle, property, and drug crime- volume crime - 66% of all crime scenes where DNA profile is generated links someone on the database- suspect
o 41% lead to recordable outcome - Yes is successful
Example: Murder of Leanne Tiernan
- Abducted in November 2000
- Body found in Woodland August 2001
- Intelligence from local man named John Taylor
- Single hair caught in a knot in a scarf round her neck
- DNA Match
- Other evidence from twine, fibres, and pollen
- Needed to link to someone else so not a chance find but is tied to the scene in other ways
- Database linked him to a 1977 rape, and he pleaded guilty to offences against 5 additional women
Example:
Cold case review
- 1988 rape case
- Police has suspect but insufficient evidence
- 2009 DNA PACE sample taken after an ‘incident with a prostitute’
- Link make to semen found on skirt of 1988 case
- Pleases guilty- he had been expecting this for 20 years
It does work but what are some downsides?
** But **
o Only 15% of crimes have samples taken
o Only 1% provide a DNA profile that can be loaded to the database
** Why? **
o DNA not always left at crime scene (minimal contact)
o Quality of DNA may be poor
Very small amounts
Degraded (Water/ high temperatures)
Ethical case with Michael Marper and S
What effect did this new law coming into England and Wales have?
What is the current extent of the NDNAs?
