And this trend is set to continue. Indeed, at an early stage in their lives young people will almost certainly already appear on several databases, such as Connexions and the Police National Computer. More than 685,000 10- to 17-year-olds have been placed on the National DNA Database since it was set up in 1995 (YPN, 18-24 January, p5); 24,000 of whom have never been cautioned, charged or convicted of a crime.
There are legitimate reasons for this. The Association of Chief Police Officers says DNA samples of individuals who haven't been convicted, from a database of more than three million people suspected of or charged with an offence, have produced in excess of 3,000 matches relating to unsolved crimes.
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