"When a person is arrested in Queensland under suspicion of committing a crime, that person shall submit a blood sample for the purpose of creating a DNA profile. This profile will be kept on file in a central database and may be used for the purposes of identifying suspects in any crime situation either future or past."
This is the central issue of a bill to be presented to the next sitting of Queensland Parliament. The Minister of Police, Thomas Barton, has formed a committee of experts to investigate this question and make recommendations as to whether he should support it. This committee will consist of a police officer, a civil libertarian, a lawyer and a scientist.
Your task as a group will be to become familiar with the issues surrounding DNA profiling. You will take on the roles of the committee members and will make recommendations based upon your research.These recommendations must answer the following question:
Should the Minister for Police argue for or against the bill as presented, or should he suggest modifications to it?