To: dtletters@telegraph.co.uk |
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Dear
Sir/Madam,
The horrific case of
rape reported in today's
Telegraph
("Intruder
rapes primary school pupil in
her bed")
fills me with anger, not so
much at the rapist, on whose
inhuman behaviour I don't want
to waste my emotions, but at
those who reject the one
thing, a comprehensive
database of DNA profiles, that
would quickly and reliably
expose his identity, secure
his rapid apprehension and
prevent him from raping again.
Notwithstanding that such a
database would most likely
have deterred him from raping
in the first place. Why all the anxiety
about having one's DNA profile
in a secure government
database, where it will only
serve reliable identification?
No one will be able to clone
you! And even if some misuse
should occur, surely it pales
into insignificance compared
with all the horrific rapes
and murders that could be
solved and - more importantly
- prevented. Serial rapists
and murderers would become a
thing of the past. No doubt there are
some who do have reason to
fear a national DNA database,
but I am not one of them. I invite everyone
(especially other men) to join
me in offering a sample of our
DNA to the government as the
basis for a Voluntary DNA
Database. Obviously, criminals
are not going to volunteer
samples of their DNA, but the
more people the police can
eliminate as potential
suspects the easier it will be
for them to do their job and
catch the culprits. A Voluntary DNA
Database would overcome the
understandable stigma attached
to the present (non-voluntary)
police database, which is
drawn from actual criminals
and suspects. In contrast, to
be in my database would be
something to be proud of,
helping to put one beyond
suspicion when it comes to
certain forms of serious
crime, as well as making a
positive contribution to
fighting such crime as the
horrific rape referred to
above - instead of just
lamenting about how terrible
it is! I wonder, would the government support a Voluntary DNA Database, as it has the CitizenCard identity scheme, also reported in today’s Telegraph ("A million teenagers carry ID")? What about the Daily
Telegraph polling its readers
to find out what they think of
the idea? Yours sincerely Roger Hicks @ www.spaceship-earth.org |