Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 7 Hansard (29 June) . . Page.. 2197 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

fingerprints from known offenders and compared them with prints found at new crime scenes. In Australia, a nationally-accessible computer database of fingerprints from suspects and known offenders has been used for comparison with fingerprints left at crime scenes for years.

The exponential increase in scientific understanding of genetics since the 1960's and technological improvements in extrapolating viable samples of DNA from the most minute particles of bodily materials has the potential to create a similar revolution in forensic investigation techniques.

For some years now, police and prosecution authorities have made use of DNA evidence to establish in the Courts a link between a known suspect and a crime scene. The use of DNA evidence, however, has generally been limited to cases where there is a known suspect from whom a sample has been taken and compared with the relevant crime scene. The recent rapid expansion in the capacity of information technology to process large volumes of data within seconds and the development of cheaper, faster and more accurate sampling and analysis processes has now made it possible to use DNA profiles more widely as an investigative tool.

National DNA databases analogous to fingerprint databases have been established in several overseas jurisdictions including the United Kingdom and the United States of America. These databases have been used to compare DNA profiles from scenes with DNA profiles from known offenders and suspects. In those countries, DNA databases have produced a very significant number of matches, resulting in improved clear-up rates for a range of offences, including murder, sexual assault, serious robberies and burglaries. DNA evidence has also been vital in clearing many innocent people wrongly suspected, and in some cases wrongly convicted, of committing violent crimes.

In 1995, in recognition of the very promising results from overseas experience with DNA databases, the Standing Committee of Attorneys General requested the Model Criminal Code Officers Committee to consider the development of model legislation for the establishment and operation in Australia of a national DNA database, when such a database became logistically possible. In 1998, the Standing Committee decided to ask the Model Criminal Code Officers Committee to prepare a discussion paper on the proposed legislation for public consultation.

This decision by the Standing Committee coincided with significant progress in national policing initiatives resulting from the Commonwealth Government's commitment to the establishment of CrimTrac, a national law enforcement intelligence database system. The national DNA database is to form a major component of the CrimTrac system, which will also include the national fingerprint database as well as firearms, protection order and warrants registries.

The discussion paper on the Model Forensic Procedures Bill DNA database provisions was released in May 1999. Following revisions to the proposed legislation to take account of comments received, a revised Model Forensic Procedures Bill was released earlier this year. A number of jurisdictions, including the ACT, have signalled their intention to enact legislation to

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .