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Have you or your child been arrested and had your DNA and fingerprints taken by the police?
If so, you will probably have a computer record on Britain’s National DNA Database.
At least 900,000 innocent people who have been arrested in England, Wales or Northern Ireland are thought to have their DNA and computer records retained.
Before the election, parliament adopted a new law that allows innocent people’s DNA records to be kept for six years after their arrest (or three years for children). All DNA samples (but not computerised DNA profiles) will be destroyed within six months of arrest. This law applies to newly arrested people but has not yet been implemented for the backlog of people who were arrested before it was adopted.
The new Coalition Government has promised it will change the law so that innocent people’s DNA profiles are removed in line with the law in Scotland.
This would mean that most people who were found not guilty or had no further action taken following arrest would have their records taken off the DNA database immediately. A minority arrested for violent or sexual offences would have their DNA profiles retained temporarily.
However, until this new law exists, most innocent people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland still have their DNA records retained. Records on the Police National Computer are also being kept indefinitely.
If you are concerned about how the Government or police might misuse this information, or fail to keep it safe, you can use this website to request that your computer records are deleted and your DNA destroyed.
The most important thing to do first is to write a letter to the police
If you do not have a caution or conviction for any crime, the Write your letter page will generate your letter automatically for you to print out and post.
See the Help with your letter page if you have any problems with the form, or if it does not fit your personal situation.
Taking further action
The new law on DNA in the Crime and Security Act 2010 adopted before the election will not now be implemented. Instead, the new Coalition Government has promised to change the law again, but this has not yet happened. To find out more about what you can do, visit the further action page.
If you want to discuss this issue with others you can also visit this Facebook page (external link).
Why reclaim your DNA?
Your computer record on the National DNA database can be used to trace you or your relatives, even if you have not committed any crime. Your police computer record can be used to refuse you a visa or a job.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that it is illegal for the Government to keep all this personal information from innocent people, but the police have not yet started to destroy innocent people’s DNA or take their records off the database, except in a few special cases.
You can find out more about the issues using the menu on the right.
Even if you are not on the DNA database you can still take action.
You can make a difference
If you take action now you can make a difference to what happens to your DNA and help to change the law. The letters that people have written to MPs are one of the main reasons that the new Government has promised it will change the law.