DNA profiles of children as young as one year are held by police

Children as young as one are having DNA samples taken by police forces across the country.

The figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Howard League for Penal Reform, found that in England and Wales during 2011, 27 samples from children of primary school age were taken every week.

In the South West, Avon and Somerset Police has taken samples from children as young as five years of age.

During 2010, they took a total of 1927 samples from those under 17 years of age.  In 2011, 1501 samples were taken.

The DNA provisions of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, is expected to come into force this October 2013. This will mean police will be able to retain DNA profiles taken from children indefinitely if they have been convicted of serious crimes. These include sexual and violent offences, terrorism and burglary.

If children have been convicted of two or more minor offences, their DNA profiles will also be held indefinitely.

But if a child is arrested or charged in connection with a serious offence but not convicted, their DNA will still be held but only for a maximum of five years.

Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook said: “When public money is tight and police forces are shrinking, it is disappointing to see valuable crime-fighting resources being wasted on taking DNA samples from thousands of innocent children while serious offences go undetected.

“Children who get into trouble with the police are usually just up to mischief. Treating so many like hardened criminals by taking their DNA seems excessive.

“We welcome the government’s decision to stop storing innocent people’s DNA indefinitely, but it remains unclear how this will affect the number of children having their DNA taken needlessly.”