“Would you accept having your DNA profile inserted in the National Forensic DNA database? Why?” Results of a questionnaire applied in Portugal

Abstract

The creation and expansion of forensic DNA databases might involve potential threats to the protection of a range of human rights. At the same time, such databases have social benefits. Based on data collected through an online questionnaire applied to 628 individuals in Portugal, this paper aims to analyze the citizens' willingness to donate voluntarily a sample for profiling and inclusion in the National Forensic DNA Database and the views underpinning such a decision. Nearly one-quarter of the respondents would indicate 'no', and this negative response increased significantly with age and education. The overriding willingness to accept the inclusion of the individual genetic profile indicates an acknowledgement of the investigative potential of forensic DNA technologies and a relegation of civil liberties and human rights to the background, owing to the perceived benefits of protecting both society and the individual from crime. This rationale is mostly expressed by the idea that all citizens should contribute to the expansion of the National Forensic DNA Database for reasons that range from the more abstract assumption that donating a sample for profiling would be helpful in fighting crime to the more concrete suggestion that everyone (criminals and non-criminals) should be in the database. The concerns with the risks of accepting the donation of a sample for genetic profiling and inclusion in the National Forensic DNA Database are mostly related to lack of control and insufficient or unclear regulations concerning safeguarding individuals' data and supervising the access and uses of genetic data. By providing an empirically-grounded understanding of the attitudes regarding willingness to donate voluntary a sample for profiling and inclusion in a National Forensic DNA Database, this study also considers the citizens' perceived benefits and risks of operating forensic DNA databases. These collective views might be useful for the formation of international common ethical standards for the development and governance of DNA databases in a framework in which the citizens' perspectives are taken into consideration.

Knowledge and Attitude of Medical Students of Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt About National DNA Database

“…While, the education level among participants showed a statistical significant difference in knowledge between undergraduates and postgraduates. However, in a study conducted in Portugal to determine the knowledge and attitude regarding forensic DNA databases, when 70% of participants were female there was a direct negative correlation between education level and their willingness to participate in DNA database [7].…”

“…The questionnaires were distributed using quota sampling by research team to the corresponding study group. Based on prior research studies, the expected positive attitude toward national forensic database participation is 46.5% [7]. All statistical analysis was conducted by SPSS 16.0.…”

“…However, most of Portugal population, in Machado and Silva [7] survey study, refused to include all citizens in DNA database and suggested to include criminals only. Moreover, standard set of European genetic systems recommended that all criminal DNA profiles in European databases be included [4].…”

“…In the absence of such clear laws, the society would distrust the nature of the protection afforded by the legal system and would be interpreted as interference in the civil liberties and human rights of the individual [11,16]. Those who refused to include their DNA profile in the national database considered their unawareness of national database's regulations regarding its uses and access as their main reason [7]. The judiciary's control might resolve existing concerns regarding discrimination and privacy [17].…”

Support for the Forensic DNA Database and Public Safety Concerns: An Exploratory Study

“…Along the same lines, in a simulation study, it was found that threequarters of Portuguese respondents agreed to voluntarily donate a sample for profiling and inclusion in the National Forensic DNA Database. Concerns about the risks of consenting to the donation of a sample for genetic profiling and inclusion in the National Forensic DNA Database are mostly related to lack of control and insufficient or unclear regulations concerning the safeguarding of individuals' data and the supervision of access to and use of genetic data [32,33]. Similarly, a high acceptance rate was also found in a Swiss sample, showing that forensic use of DNA profiling is considered highly trustworthy [34].…”