# Would YOU (Voluntarily) Give a DNA Sample to the Police? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 8, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796 "2005-01-08T22:51:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/21 "2005-01-09T01:32:42Z")
> [@alanak](#): > > Well, let’s say that we have a small town of about 100 people. 99 innocent people come in and submit their DNA. All of them show a false match. Guess on whom the supsicion now lies? > > Granted this is an unlikely scenario, but it is possible. > > What would be interesting is if this is sufficient probable cause to get a warrent for the DNA of that one person that didn’t submit. That would raise a whole hell of a caboose on 4th amendment issues I suspect. Why is the murderer necessarily a resident of the town? > [@Rune](#): > > By ruling out a possible suspect it lets the police focus their attention on what can help solve the case. There’s a difference between a suspect and Joe Blow off the street. Asking a serious suspect for a DNA sample to “clear his name” is rather different, IMO, from saying, “Well, we’re stumped! You’re ALL suspects now! Submit your DNA to be cleared, please.” > [@Jake the Plumber](#): > > A person innocent today may not be innocent tomorrow. The paths of life are many, and they are unpredictable. > > As a side note, this would also greatly increase the efficiency and security for any identification purposes (parental checks, identity checks, etc) > > . . . > > I don’t see it as any worse than retaining thumb/finger prints and photos. How does an innocent person submitting his DNA for use IN THIS CASE help with the resolution OF THIS CASE. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_the\_Plumber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Jake\_the\_Plumber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_the_Plumber)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/22 "2005-01-09T02:12:10Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > How does an innocent person submitting his DNA for use IN THIS CASE help with the resolution OF THIS CASE. This thread isn’t about a specific case, it is about a federal library of DNA. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/23 "2005-01-09T02:16:58Z")
> [@Jake the Plumber](#): > > This thread isn’t about a specific case, it is about a federal library of DNA. Please point out where, in the OP (or indeed, in the entire rest of the thread so far), a “federal library of DNA” is mentioned. The situation asked about in the OP is: > [@ralph124c](#): > > In Massachusetts (Trro, on Cape Cod), a woman was mudered in 2002. So far, the police haven’t identified any suspects-so they are now asking male residents of the town to make voluntary contributuions of their DNA samples. i.e. a specific case. ---
**Author:** ![Paladud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Paladud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paladud)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/24 "2005-01-09T02:22:52Z")
Hell no. It sets an unhealthy precedent, which may lead to mandatory DNA collection. Besides, I may decide to go on a crime spree someday, and submitting my DNA beforehand would restrict such possibilities. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/25 "2005-01-09T02:24:14Z")
I think that I would give the sample. I have spread enough of it around already. 😉 Heck I might even volunteer to help out with the donors. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/26 "2005-01-09T02:51:05Z")
Moot point for me, as the government already has my DNA stored away in a file somewhere. Before anyone wonders too much, this sample was collected when I was in the service, as a means to identify battlefield remains. The goal is for there to be no more unknown soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/27 "2005-01-09T02:52:34Z")
I wouldn’t. If I knew I hadn’t committed the crime, giving a sample of my DNA wouldn’t do any good. _shrug_ I don’t really see a big controveresy if it’s all voluntary, though. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/28 "2005-01-09T03:15:00Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Note: Lawyers inputs not wanted. In Massachusetts (Trro, on Cape Cod), a woman was mudered in 2002. So far, the police haven’t identified any suspects-so they are now asking male residents of the town to make voluntary contributuions of their DNA samples. This sounds OK at first (a savage murderer was caught in England, a few years ago, when the townspeople were asked to submit DNA samples), but on second thought, why should anyone give up their right against self-incrimination? Obviously, the police are frustrated…but clearly, they MUST have some DNA evidence…and asking people to give up their DNA sounds dangerous to me…how can you be sure that your DNA was not transported to the murder scene by accident? Or, could you DNA implicate you in other crimes? > What say you all? Are you actually serious? And did this happen in the US? Link please? I hope the US hasn’t come to this. I’ve actually had detectives show up at my door based on alleged Internet communications I made asking questions. My response was “Based on the advice of legal counsel, I choose to make no comment. Do you gentlemen have a search warrant signed by a federal judge, or a warrant for my arrest?” Reply: “Umm…no.” My response: “In that case I bid you gentlemen a fond adieu.” [rfgdxm slams door in their face.] My late father was a highly decorated WWII veteran. I will never hesitate to refuse to resist any attempt to diminish the freedoms he fought for. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/29 "2005-01-09T04:35:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I realize that, but I disagree. If they don’t have probable cause, I don’t think they have the right to ask me for a DNA sample in the first place. Nitpick. They have the right to ask for a sample. They don’t have the right to compell you to give a sample. Do I voluntarily give up a sample? Not on your life. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/30 "2005-01-09T04:56:43Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Nothing good for whom? You seem to think the world orbits around yourself. > It would be good for the town if it rid itself of a murder and it would be good for possible future victims. I’m not the murder. The only thing that can happen by me giving DNA is for me to go to jail for a crime I didn’t commit. > [@Rune](#): > > It would be good for the parents and loved ones, helping them get on with their life knowing justice has been served and get some kind of closure. I’m sure it would but me giving a DNA sample isn’t going to give that to them. > [@Rune](#): > > It would be good for the police which can solve a case, and divert energy on other problems in the town ? again good for the town people. They certainly aren’t going to solve any crimes by getting my DNA. Let them use that energy to solve other crimes. > [@Rune](#): > > It would be good for the dead girl, laying her soul to rest ? if you believe in that sort of thing. Nope don’t believe in that sort of stuff nor do I see how me giving the DNA to the police would help her. She knows who the murder is and it wasn’t me. You don?t _need_ to do anything, but perhaps you?d want to anyway. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/31 "2005-01-09T05:58:20Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > Nitpick. They have the right to ask for a sample. They don’t have the right to compell you to give a sample. That’s a fair point, I might’ve been better served to say they have no business asking me for a sample. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/32 "2005-01-09T07:29:00Z")
I’d flatly refuse, though I support DNA collection _upon conviction for a felony_. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/33 "2005-01-09T07:33:22Z")
If the police had a reasonable belief that I might be connected to a crime, sure. The fact that I live in the same town or even the same neighborhood as the victim is not a good enough reason to give my DNA. Marc ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/34 "2005-01-09T07:54:49Z")
I think it is clear that the Truro, MA police have exhausted all of the leads they have. This woman lived in a remote part of the town, and all of her friends have been checked out and, presumably, cleared. That means that: -the killer is either in the town, or not in the town -the killer is confident of his alibis to protect him In any case, I don’t see why the police will learn anything by getting voluntary DNA submissions. Suppose you were a carpenter who worked on the house? The police could then connect YOU with the murder scene! The real murderer (if he is still in town) is certainly NOT going to donate his DNA (unless he is incredibly stupid). This case raises all kinds of issues. If I were a resident of Truro, I would resent such an action-to me it says: “Gee we can’t think of what to do to solve this murder-let’s go out and collect DNA”! Ths case is totally different from the example in England that I quoted-at least there, the local police had a reasonable suspicion. In Truro, they have nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Gamaliel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b487fb/32.png) [@Gamaliel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gamaliel)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/35 "2005-01-09T12:24:50Z")
Privacy concerns aside, who’s paying for all these DNA tests? I don’t think they’re cheap, and even if they are, when you get up into 3 or 4 digits worth of people the costs will add up. Is this needle in a haystack approach really the best use of the police dollar? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/36 "2005-01-09T12:34:24Z")
I wouldn’t mainly because I just wouldn’t want to, and secondly if I knew I was innocent I really wouldn’t expect that my one sample in my home town of around 40,000 would mean a lot for the investigation. Now, if I was a prime suspect in a crime and I did not commit it I would probably first submit to a lie detector test then submit DNA if that didn’t get the police out of my life. As a right’s thing, no one should have to give DNA up in sweep searches IMO, the burden of proof for getting a warrant to demand a DNA test should be the same as for any search warrant. I also don’t see how someone can think the police don’t have a right to _ask_ this, I thinke everybody has a right to ask anything as long as everybody also has the right to say no. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/37 "2005-01-09T12:37:35Z")
> [@treis](#): > > I don’t need to prove my innocense to anyone. That’s the important part for me. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/38 "2005-01-09T13:21:51Z")
I know that mrAru being military has a sample on file, but there is no way in hell that they would get my DNA without a warrent. I have _no_ idea how many places that I have legetimately visited over the past few years that may end up a crime scene, and I for one spend most of my days pretty much totally alone and unable to be alibied unless you can count on my being logged in on a game like world of warcraft - though I wouldnt consider that to be much of an alibi because you cant know who is at the other end of the internet game playing with you. COuld be me, might be my cat logged in and swatting the mouse occasionally=) Hell, I would be up shit creek if they luminoled my house - being an adult woman, I menstruate, so there is blood trace anywhere I might have accidentally touched while changing out sanitary supplies and washing up…I have cut myself, mr Aru has cut himself and our various roomies have cut themselves and spattered in various places around the house and barn. There is a heck of a blood spatter in the barn from where a pair of our dogs got into a fight and another place where I worked on one of my sheep [over 250 stitches, damned pet dogs that the owners refused to keep restrained :mad:] Hell, we have a habit of burying pets and deceased farm animals [one ewe died by accidentally hanging herself getting her head caught in the crook of a heavy shrub and panicing=(] so there are little graves all over one area of the pasture [lets see, 1 iguana, 3 dogs, 5 cats, 1 6 foot boa, 1 whole sheep and the butchered out remains of 2 more sheep. Talk about silence of the lambs 😃] ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/39 "2005-01-09T15:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > **spooje** said: > Nitpick. They have the right to ask for a sample. They don’t have the right to compell you to give a sample. And dig through your garbage to get a cigarette butt or something where they can get a sample, right? They could take a toothbrush you threw away from the curbside garbage and get some cheek cells off it, or that wad of hair you cleaned out of your brush, right? Sneaky, sneaky. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796/40 "2005-01-09T16:09:28Z")
Any police force dumb enough to think a murderer would voluntarily turn in his DNA for evidence doesn’t deserve my genetic effluvium. Either that, or they’re trying to guage suspicion-of-guilt based upon one’s willingness to captitulate to the “I got nothon’ to hide” principle. This offends me on any number of procedural and constitutional levels, and strikes me as little more than a desperate publicity stunt to demonstrate to the world their continued investigative dilligence. More like incompetance. If you can’t find evidence, create it with a DNA witch hunt. Nice. I’d refuse to turn in mine as a demonstration of how fatuous their approach is. Would it draw suspicion toward me? I could only hope. Better still if I’m falsely accused; I’ll be cooking up a nice fat lawsuit if besmirched for standing up for my constitutional rights. Don’t count on a settlement, Truro; and all winnings, after legal bills and lost time, goes to the ACLU. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-voluntarily-give-a-dna-sample-to-the-police/283796.md?page=3)