Ex-cons ordered to give DNA to Sussex Police (From The Argus)
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Ex-cons ordered to give DNA to Sussex Police
9:53am Monday 1st October 2012 in News By Ben Parsons
Hundreds of ex-cons will be getting a knock on the door from detectives in a DNA collection drive to crack unsolved crimes.
The criminals are subject to a new police power to take a genetic sample from anyone convicted of a crime, even several years ago.
Sussex Police and other forces are visiting serious criminals who were jailed before the national DNA database was invented.
They hope that when the samples are added and automatically cross-checked against crime scenes and wanted appeals, they will find the culprits to unsolved crimes.
Nationally about 12,000 criminals, many of them murderers and rapists, are being targeted. In Sussex the figure is said to be in the “low hundreds”.
Visits have already started and are expected to continue until next spring in what has been dubbed Operation Nutmeg.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “DNA evidence has proved to be a vital tool which has helped convict thousands of violent and dangerous criminals and exonerated many innocent people. We are working to ensure that all lawful steps are taken to ensure that no opportunities have been missed to secure justice for victims of crime.”
DNA has unlocked several unsolved cases in recent years. In June Rupert Crawford was jailed for 27 years for two rapes in 1985. Sussex Police’s cold case investigators linked his DNA to material found in a house where he broke in and attacked a woman.
On Tuesday, Graham Wood, from Rushden, Northamptonshire, is due to be sentenced for the rape of a woman in an alleyway in The Goffs, Eastbourne, in April 1987. He too was caught after DNA was re-examined.
Amanda Cooper from Thames Valley Police, who chairs the police’s DNA Strategy Board, said cases would go back to the establishment of the police national computer, which first came into use in the 1970s.
She said: ''This isn't just about the retrospective matches, it's about crimes going forward.''
Offenders can provide a sample on the spot or arrange to visit a police station. They can be forced to provide a mouth swab if they try to refuse to take part.
Comments(22)
Goldenwight
says...
12:00pm Mon 1 Oct 12
And of course any action depends entirely on the Police being actually able (and being bothered) to trace people who have long since vanished off their radar. Many of these 12,000 individuals have committed minor crimes and are extremely unlikely to be of any interest to the Police in any event. After all, none of them have been arrested and charged with any offence for over 2 decades.
Old Ale Man
says...
12:04pm Mon 1 Oct 12
looks like there now be a building boom for the want of more Prisons.
brighton-breezy
says...
12:41pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Goldenwight wrote:Im not sure if I understand your point here. If it means taking the DNA samples of criminals convicted in the past (it is correct to call them criminals, as they have been convicted of a criminal offence and by definition they are therefore criminals) in order to be able to solve a serious crime like Murder or rape, this can only be a good thing for the victims, victims family and loved ones and society itself
May I just point out for the benefit of the 'hang em high' brigade that the number of PEOPLE (they should not be described as criminals, Argus, as they have long paid their debt to society and do not stand accused of any crime) is 12,000. The actual number of crimes which will be reviewed as a result of this action is far lower, and the number of convictions which will result is miniscule.
And of course any action depends entirely on the Police being actually able (and being bothered) to trace people who have long since vanished off their radar. Many of these 12,000 individuals have committed minor crimes and are extremely unlikely to be of any interest to the Police in any event. After all, none of them have been arrested and charged with any offence for over 2 decades.
sbiscorrupt
says...
1:01pm Mon 1 Oct 12
brighton-breezy wrote:Of course it can only be a 'good thing' if we can trust the system to get it right when dealing with DNA samples...
Goldenwight wrote:Im not sure if I understand your point here. If it means taking the DNA samples of criminals convicted in the past (it is correct to call them criminals, as they have been convicted of a criminal offence and by definition they are therefore criminals) in order to be able to solve a serious crime like Murder or rape, this can only be a good thing for the victims, victims family and loved ones and society itself
May I just point out for the benefit of the 'hang em high' brigade that the number of PEOPLE (they should not be described as criminals, Argus, as they have long paid their debt to society and do not stand accused of any crime) is 12,000. The actual number of crimes which will be reviewed as a result of this action is far lower, and the number of convictions which will result is miniscule.
And of course any action depends entirely on the Police being actually able (and being bothered) to trace people who have long since vanished off their radar. Many of these 12,000 individuals have committed minor crimes and are extremely unlikely to be of any interest to the Police in any event. After all, none of them have been arrested and charged with any offence for over 2 decades.
And they always get it right don't they?
http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/uk-19782917
Old Ale Man
says...
1:13pm Mon 1 Oct 12
rolivan
says...
1:18pm Mon 1 Oct 12
whereisthe...?
says...
2:15pm Mon 1 Oct 12
When ex criminals have done their time, they should, by law, be treated as equal humans again. NOT potential offenders. Right or wrong, this will get scrapped, sooner or later. Total waste.
Lofaplace
says...
2:37pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Back to the future?
rolivan
says...
2:47pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Lofaplace wrote:The worrying thing is that before too long they will be storing our DNA at birth.
She said: ''This isn't just about the retrospective matches, it's about crimes going forward.''
Back to the future?
Lofaplace
says...
2:49pm Mon 1 Oct 12
co.uk/news/national/
9958871.Rape_accused
_was__innocent_victi
m_/
From todays Argus.......
WakeUpYouFreaks!
says...
2:57pm Mon 1 Oct 12
PorkBoat
says...
3:58pm Mon 1 Oct 12
brighton-breezy wrote:No, it's a very, very, very bad thing for society. Do you think they'll stop at criminals who haven't committed a crime in 20 years? You're next. What's that? You've never done any crime? "Come with us sir, we are arresting you for failing to provide your DNA" If anyone thinks that being a "law abiding citizen" will mean that the Big Brother society will pass you by, think again. People like you will bend over a barrel and take it up the sh*****r, if the government tells you "it's for your own good". Hope you've got a big supply of KY jelly.
Goldenwight wrote:Im not sure if I understand your point here. If it means taking the DNA samples of criminals convicted in the past (it is correct to call them criminals, as they have been convicted of a criminal offence and by definition they are therefore criminals) in order to be able to solve a serious crime like Murder or rape, this can only be a good thing for the victims, victims family and loved ones and society itself
May I just point out for the benefit of the 'hang em high' brigade that the number of PEOPLE (they should not be described as criminals, Argus, as they have long paid their debt to society and do not stand accused of any crime) is 12,000. The actual number of crimes which will be reviewed as a result of this action is far lower, and the number of convictions which will result is miniscule.
And of course any action depends entirely on the Police being actually able (and being bothered) to trace people who have long since vanished off their radar. Many of these 12,000 individuals have committed minor crimes and are extremely unlikely to be of any interest to the Police in any event. After all, none of them have been arrested and charged with any offence for over 2 decades.
Hove Actually
says...
5:38pm Mon 1 Oct 12
How long before "our Government" decide to screen it for health or pension reasons or to allow people to have children or God knows what else
JoeBlow
says...
6:13pm Mon 1 Oct 12
WakeUpYouFreaks! wrote:Are you new to the English language?
Ex-Cons? Have The Argus picked up an American member of staff somewhere along the way?
Nathan_Adler
says...
8:05pm Mon 1 Oct 12
I have heard that eating rich foods like curries and chilli will affect the DNA and also if you die your hair pink.
I am sure that anybody caught will argue they once died their hair pink and regularly enjoy curry.....
.................int
eresting!!!
Hove Actually
says...
9:05pm Mon 1 Oct 12
davyboy
says...
7:24am Tue 2 Oct 12
Old Ale Man
says...
8:02am Tue 2 Oct 12
rolivan wrote:And chipping one @ birth.
Lofaplace wrote: She said: ''This isn't just about the retrospective matches, it's about crimes going forward.'' Back to the future?The worrying thing is that before too long they will be storing our DNA at birth.
Now there's a thought!!!!!!!!!!
F in L
says...
1:09pm Tue 2 Oct 12
F in L
says...
1:09pm Tue 2 Oct 12
Lofaplace
says...
11:39pm Tue 2 Oct 12
brighton-breezy says...
10:46am Mon 1 Oct 12