Why a presumption of guilt?
While the profiles of those who have been arrested but either not charged or not convicted will be deleted from the database, the timetable is tardy in the extreme. The profile of anyone arrested for a less serious offence will remain on the database for six years, while those arrested for a serious, violent or sexual crime (but not convicted) will have their records held for 12. DNA profiles are immensely useful, especially in helping to solve past, or difficult, cases. And they do not only convict, they also absolve. But to hear ministers defending the changes yesterday, you would have thought that legions of criminals would run free. Their arguments came perilously close to pre-emption: a desire to keep tabs on people who just might be trouble – as though British justice had a presumption of guilt, rather than innocence. The Government is making things far harder for itself than it needs to. As the European Court pointed out, it has a model of how to manage a DNA database north of t
Related Questions
- When accompanied by an Express Statement and a signed Certification Statement, will the CII be granted the presumption of protection throughout the entire review and validation process?
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- What are some of the best guilt free items on the Outback menu?
