ACT Renews Call For DNA Sampling Of Criminals

act-new-zealand

Thu Mar 21 2002 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

ACT Renews Call For DNA Sampling Of Criminals

Thursday, 21 March 2002, 5:37 pm
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

ACT New Zealand's Police Spokesman Ken Shirley today renewed his call for the Government to move quickly to pass legislation necessary to permit the routine collection of DNA samples for profiling all convicted criminals.

"It has been routine to fingerprint both convicted and suspected criminals for many years. The new powerful DNA technology should be used in the fight against crime with profile records kept for all convicted criminals.

"The DNA profiling of suspects should be permitted but profile records should not be kept once a suspect is cleared of wrongdoing or a prosecution does not proceed.

"The success of DNA profiling in Victoria cannot be denied with samples from 2800 prison inmates taken since 1988 linking 99 of them to 238 unsolved crimes including three murders.

"There is an urgent need to pass the necessary legislation but Justice Minister Phil Goff is dithering on the issue while scores of criminals continue to commit crimes with impunity," said Mr Shirley.

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