THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 6, 1996 TAG: 9607060010
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 47 lines
Beginning in January, Virginia will require all juveniles convicted of felonies to supply samples of their DNA for inclusion in a database to help track violent criminals.
How unfortunate that this is now a necessary step. There was a time when juvenile crime meant stealing hubcaps and scrawling graffiti. No more. Today's juvenile criminals are big-league. Their list of offenses is virtually indistinguishable from the adult felons are doing: rape, torture, murder, abduction.
Now Virginia will have another tool to hunt down these criminals and arrest them if they are foolish enough to commit more offenses after their first conviction.
Virginia is leading the nation in compiling a comprehensive system of DNA-typing of criminals. Some see this as a move toward a society run by Big Brother where government maintains endless files and databanks on citizens. We don't see it that way.
In the first place, these are not upstanding citizens - they are felons. Secondly, this is merely one more effective, scientific tool to aid investigators in finding suspects. Fingerprinting has been standard procedure for many years. Now DNA typing is now emerging as a more highly refined technique for apprehending criminals. Adding juveniles to that list makes sense.
There is one drawback to DNA typing: the cost. The reason many states have not rushed headlong into DNA databases is the high expense and the relatively low return on the money. So far, DNA typing has nabbed few criminals. But supporters of DNA databases argue that the return has been low because so few people have been typed. As the databanks grow, they say, so will the effectiveness of DNA typing. That makes sense.
We applaud Virginia for moving quickly into DNA typing. This is a cutting-edge technique which may become less expensive as the methodology is refined and the volume is increased. We urge the state to be careful in setting up and maintaining DNA laboratories, and to be meticulous in applying DNA typing.
Any scientific tool with the effectiveness of DNA typing ought to be used to the fullest extent possible.
We would remind opponents of DNA typing that the value of this procedure is that it establishes innocence as well as guilt. Those juveniles supplying DNA samples now may be glad they did if it prevents them from someday being prosecuted for crimes they did not commit. by CNB