Essex: DNA Samples From 32 Children A Week

Heart has been told Essex Police have been taking DNA samples from 32 children every week.

Figures released by the Howard League for Penal Reform show the force took samples from 1,693 under-18s in 2011. 

Only eight other forces around the country took more and figures include 56 primary school-age children, 12 10-year-olds and 44 11-year-olds. 

The figures do represent a fall in the number of samples taken though, as more than 2,300 were taken from children in 2010. 

Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "When public money is tight and police forces are shrinking, it is disappointing to see valuable crime-fighting resources being wasted on taking DNA samples from thousands of innocent children while serious offences go undetected. 

"Children who get into trouble with the police are usually just up to mischief. Treating so many like hardened criminals by taking their DNA seems excessive. 

"We welcome the government's decision to stop storing innocent people's DNA indefinitely, but it remains unclear how this will affect the number of children having their DNA taken needlessly." 

Nishan Wijeratne, a spokesperson for Essex Police, told Heart they are need to prevent and detect crimes. 

He says quite often samples are needed to protect children: "These children may have been victims and we need to take their DNA to confirm an incident has taken place and it can be linked to the perpetrator. 

"Other times, we will take the DNA samples to conduct criminal paternity tests as part of sexual offence investigations. In either circumstance it is a lawful taking of DNA. 

"The taking and retention of DNA from people of all ages, especially children aged above 10, is clearly set out in law and they are taken for crimes across the spectrum but most imporantly, serious crimes. 

"If we need to identify a sex attacker, for instance, who has committed an offence against the child, then we need to take that child's DNA to ensure there is a link so we can charge them." 

Nationally, almost 54,000 children had DNA samples taken from them in 2011 although this actually represents a fall from nearly 70,000 the year before.