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The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues

Published: Tue, 18 September 2007

This Report considers whether current police powers in the UK to take and retain bioinformation are justified by the need to fight crime. The principle of proportionality is used as the basis for a number of recommendations to policy makers in the following areas:

  • the permanent storage of bioinformation taken from witnesses, victims, children, and people who are not later convicted;
  • the use of the National DNA Database for familial searching, ethnic inferencing and research;
  • the establishment of a population-wide DNA database;
  • the use of bioinformation in court; and
  • the governance and ethical oversight of forensic databases.

Last Updated Fri, 23 November 2007

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