Impact: Impact - for External Portal › Policy and legislation
Narrative
The first DNA database was created in England in 1995. Since then many countries around the world have created DNA databases including Scotland (1996). Genetic databases, when used for criminal justice purposes raise significant legal, ethical, policy and practice issues. Until a change of Government the policy trajectory in Scotland shadowed that of England and Wales. The Scottish Nationalist Government wished to review this policy and a number of related matters. Prof Jim Fraser was invited to review the effectiveness of the fingerprint and DNA databases. The Scottish Government accepted the recommendations in his report in 2009, which led to major changes in law and practices in this area.