Here follows my letter:


From:
Ben Birnberg (benbirnberg@hotmail.com)
Sent:
22 January 2009 11:02:15
.Dear Sir
How right Shami Chakrabarti is to highlight the battle to defend the Human Rights Act from its political assailants, tactfully restraining herself from naming names some of whom should be ashamed of themselves. But, at odds with most civil libertarians, I question the knee-jerk inclusion of DNA retention in her litany of "the rights damaged for expedience's sake." On the contrary, DNA evidence has been clearly shown to prevent or remedy miscarriages of justice and to buttress the fair administration of our criminal justice system and the rule of law, matters of preeminent concern to those who value our liberties. There are obvious dangers in the retention of personal data but I believe that if we had a comprehensive DNA database, but one in the custody of and strictly controlled by an authority independent of the state and its agencies, not least the police, the objections articulated most recently by the European Court of Justice would be answered and the balance that always persists between the protection of individual rights and the enhancement of the public weal would be safeguarded.