A comparative audit of legislative frameworks within the European Union for the collection, retention and use of forensic DNA profiles Kristiina Reed Denise Syndercombe Court Kristiina Reed Dr. Denise Syndercombe-Court King’s College London 150 Stamford Street London, SE1 9nH, UK [email protected] [email protected] © Copyright remains with the authors The work leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 285487 (EUROFORGEN- NoE). London, UK, August 2014 (updated in June 2016) 1 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Austria ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Belgium .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Bulgaria........................................................................................................................................ 11 Croatia ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Cyprus .......................................................................................................................................... 15 Czech Republic ............................................................................................................................ 17 Denmark ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Estonia ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Finland ......................................................................................................................................... 27 France .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Germany ...................................................................................................................................... 33 Greece ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Hungary ....................................................................................................................................... 42 Republic of Ireland ..................................................................................................................... 44 Italy .............................................................................................................................................. 49 Latvia ........................................................................................................................................... 54 Lithuania ...................................................................................................................................... 56 Luxembourg ................................................................................................................................ 60 Malta ........................................................................................................................................... 62 Netherlands ................................................................................................................................. 65 Norway ........................................................................................................................................ 69 Poland.......................................................................................................................................... 71 Portugal ....................................................................................................................................... 74 Romania ...................................................................................................................................... 76 2 Slovakia........................................................................................................................................ 79 Slovenia ....................................................................................................................................... 82 Spain ............................................................................................................................................ 85 Sweden ........................................................................................................................................ 88 Switzerland .................................................................................................................................. 91 United Kingdom .......................................................................................................................... 94 3 INTRODUCTION The audit of legislative frameworks within the European Union for the collection, retention and use of forensic DNA profiles has been prepared as a deliverable of work package 4 of the European Forensic Genetics Network of Excellence – EUROFORGEN-NoE. Since the introduction of the first national DNA database (NDNAD) in the UK in 19951, almost all European countries have begun to establish similar databases on the background of the respective national legal system2. The currently available surveys comparing the legislative frameworks for DNA analysis and national databases are outdated3, since a number of countries have started to amend and revise existing laws – in most cases to facilitate the use of DNA data and the database storage of DNA profiles from suspects and convicted offenders – in the light of success of this methodology in criminal investigations. 1 D. Werrett. The National DNA Database. Forensic Sci. Int. 88, 1997, 33-42 2 P.D. Martin et al. A Brief history on the formation of DNA databases in forensic science in Europe. Forensic Sci. Int. 119, 2001, 225-231 3 P.M. Schneider et al. Criminal DNA databases: the European situation. Forensic Sci. Int. 119, 2001, 232- 238; C. Asplen. ENFSI survey on the DNA profile inclusion, removal and retention of member states' forensic DNA databases. European Network of Forensic Science, 2009 (published online 2012) http://www.enfsi.eu/sites/default/files/documents/enfsi_report_on_dna_legislation_in_europe_0.pdf 4 Austria The Austrian national DNA database was established on 1st October 1997.4 As at June 2016, the Austrian database held 203,054 individual subject profiles (2.5% of the population) and 87,397 crime scene specimens.5 Legal power to take a DNA sample: The police have the legal authority to take a DNA sample from: 1. Persons arrested on suspicion of having committed a ‘serious offence’; 2. All convicted offenders 4The database was established by federal law regarding the organization of the security management and the practices of the state police (state police law – SPG) BGBL No. 566/1991 as published in BGBL.I No.151/2004. 5European Network of Forensic Science Initiatives, Survey on DNA databases in Europe, June 2016 (used as reference throughout this document for all database statistics in European countries) 5 Retention of DNA samples and profiles Samples Occurrence Sample retention period Adult or juvenile arrested but acquitted Destroyed upon request Adult offender convicted of offence Retained until individual reaches 80 years of age Juvenile offender 3 years from date of offence Profiles Occurrence Profile Retention Period Adult or juveniles arrested or charged with Profiles may be destroyed following written an offence but not convicted application to the Austrian Ministry of Interior (BMI) Convicted offenders Indefinite retention. Crime scene stain profiles Retained until match with offender Governance Security and Ethical Oversight The Austrian national database is overseen by the Austrian Ministry of Interior (BMI). Judicial authorities have full access to the national DNA database. Staff members of the forensic institutes of Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna have access to the DNA profile and reference numbers stored in the database. International Exchange of DNA data International exchange of information is regulated by the Austrian Police Cooperation Law and the Data Protection Law. Austria is a signatory to the Convention of Prüm. 6 Belgium Belgium has two forensic DNA databases6: The Criminalistics Database stores DNA profiles from crime scene samples; The Convicts Database stores DNA profiles from convicted offenders. Both databases were established with the Law on Criminal Proceedings of 22nd March 1999 concerning the identification of procedure by DNA analysis in penal matters. As at June 2016, the Criminalistics database held 45,254 crime scene profiles and the Convicts Database held 37,490 individual profiles (0.36% of the population). Legal Power to take a DNA sample The police in Belgium have the legal authority to take a DNA sample from a suspect during a police investigation if; The suspect is 18 years of age The suspect consents 6 Both databases were created pursuant to the Law on Criminal Proceedings of 22nd March 1999 concerning the identification of procedure by DNA analysis in penal matters (Loi Relative a la Procedure