Record growth in UK DNA database

Britain's DNA database is being built by stealth, critics warned, as the Government admitted record numbers of profiles were added last year.
Many of the 722,464 new samples were taken by police from people who have never been convicted of – or even charged with – a criminal offence.
The total number of DNA profiles held is estimated to be about 4.8 million. Some 350,000 of those taken last year were from children aged 14 and under.
Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: "The Government is rapidly building the world's biggest DNA database, by stealth. Guilt or innocence and the negative effect the database has on children and ethnic minorities are of no concern to ministers."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/record-growth-in-dna-database-958024.html

DNA database plans for children who 'could become criminals' & related stories

DNA database plans for children who 'could become criminals'

"If we have a primary means of identifying people before they offend, then in the long term the benefits of targeting younger people are extremely large.
"We have to find who are possibly going to be the biggest threat to society."But critics said this was a step towards a police state that would risk stigmatising youngsters who had yet to commit a criminal act. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/17/nasbo217.xml

The whole population and every UK visitor should be added to the national DNA database, a senior judge has said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6979138.stm

6,000 teens on DNA database

The number of children whose DNA details are being kept on a national database has nearly doubled in less than a year, sparking fresh calls for an inquiry into the practice. http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=ENOnand=3

A person is added to the National DNA Database in the United Kingdom every 45 seconds,

...an opposition MP warned amidst reports that the Home Office has been urged to allow police to take DNA samples for offences such as dropping litter. http://pressesc.com/news/85403082007/person-added-dna-database-every-45-seconds

Australia - POLICE want the power to take DNA from more suspects and keep it indefinitely, even in the absence of charges or convictions.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22350908-2862,00.html