In response to Home Office Minister Andy Burnham’s statement that the DNA samples of 24,000 innocent under-18s will be retained on the National DNA Database, Liberty Director Shami Chakrabarti said:

“Targeting innocent children to expand the DNA database is the Government playing the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Any child who is stopped by police, even if under 10, can have his DNA taken and retained for life without being charged or cautioned.

If the Government wants a National DNA Database, they should say so and hold a public debate, not pick on our kids who can’t fight back.”

Liberty is calling on the police authorities to destroy all DNA samples taken from innocent juveniles.

Grant Shapps, Conservative MP for Welwyn and Hatfield, today will release a regional breakdown of the number of innocent juveniles whose DNA has been stored by police. The figures indicate that the practice is a “postcode lottery.”

Liberty Press Office on 0207 378 3656 or 07973 831 128

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. On 24th February at 7:30pm, Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty will investigate the worrying consequences of the criminalisation of children on Channel 4’s 30 Minutes: “Making our Kids Criminals.” Shami will ask interview various experts and young people including Britain’s former most senior female judge Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss and Professor Rod Morgan, Chair of the Youth Justice Board and the Children’s Commissioner for England to determine if too many children are being swept into the criminal process.

2. New powers of arrest came into effect on 1 January 2006 under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 which give allow the police to arrest for all offences. New statutory instruments also allow police to retain the fingerprints and DNA of anyone who is arrested, even if they are not charged with an offence. ENDS//