Have your say

The Law Commission is reviewing the law on how Police use DNA when they investigate criminal offending: when can they obtain someone’s DNA, what information are they allowed to obtain from that DNA and what can they do with the DNA and the information afterwards? We want your help to come up with ideas for improving the law to help Police better investigate crime and to better protect people’s rights.

In what situations and for what kinds of offences should the police be able to obtain DNA samples from people?

How long do you think police should be able to keep people’s DNA samples and/or profiles?

Do you think the police should be able to carry out familial searching (i.e. using the Databanks to identify close matches / family members of people on the Databanks who they then investigate)?
YesNoMaybe

Should ESR be able to analyse DNA samples that are found at crime scenes to find out the likely ethnicity or other genetic characteristics of the DNA owner?
YesNoMaybe

Should organisations other than the police be able to use information from the National DNA Databanks?
YesNoMaybe

Late September 2018, the Law Commission will publish an Issues Paper setting out the main problems with how the law currently deals with using DNA in criminal investigations. This paper will also offer some ideas for change, and seek feedback from the public.

If you would like to receive an electronic copy of this Issues Paper or more information about the project, please give us with your contact details. (Check out our privacy policy - what happens to your information).

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This privacy policy applies to the personal and other information collected on the Law Commission website.

The Law Commission’s processes are public, and we are subject to the Official Information Act 1982. So, if someone asks us for your submission we will normally provide it – although we may anonymise names and other identifying details. We will consider any requests for withholding information on grounds of confidentiality or for any other reason according to the Official Information Act 1982.

The Law Commission also complies with the Privacy Act 1993, which governs how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information you provide us.

If you do not want us to release all or part of your submission (including your name) or for us to refer to it in any Commission publication, please tell us which parts we should withhold and the reasons.