Hawaii Wants DNA from Arrested Felons
It could be a powerful new tool for law enforcement. The state now wants to collect DNA samples from anyone arrested for a felony. But the idea is running into some fierce opposition. This battle pits police and prosecutors against defense attorneys and the American Civil Liberities Union. And it boils down to a fight over basic constitutional rights. Because of hit TV shows like CSI, more people are learning what DNA can do. Hawaii's Attorney General believes DNA can help solve crimes more quickly and even prevent future crimes so he's introduced a bill to create and expand a DNA data bank here like the one in California. "It was just in the last several years that DNA technology really has advanced to a point where a lot of samples, thousands of samples can be analyzed, put into a data bank. This type of evidence can be analyzed, sexual assault evidence and searched against the data base and I think that's the power," said Lance Gima of California's Bureau of Forensic Science who was asked to come here to brief state legislators. Currently Hawaii law says DNA from a blood sample can only be collected from convicted murderers and violent sex offenders. Under the proposed bill, the state could get DNA from anyone arrested for a felony. "We're opposed to a bill that would collect DNA evidence from arrested persons on the sole basis that they're arrested. It presumes they're guilty of something," said Susan Arnett, a public defender. Lois Perrin of the ACLU agrees. "This is incredibly problematic because it really eviscerates the traditional and well settled principal that one is innocent until proven guilty." The ACLU is suing California which passed its law last year. That state is one of four in our nation currently collecting DNA from arrestees. [more]