SFPD put rape victims' DNA into database used to find criminals, DA alleges

Abstraction: SFPD crime lab misused rape kit DNA to identify crime suspects

Key points:

• San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin alleged in February 2022 that the SFPD crime lab was searching a database containing sexual assault victims' DNA to identify criminal suspects.
• Specific triggering case: a woman's DNA collected years earlier during a rape exam was used to link her to a recent felony property crime, leading to her arrest.
• Database reportedly contained "thousands of victims' DNA profiles" accumulated over "many, many years."
• Boudin called the practice "legally and ethically wrong" — it discourages survivors from coming forward and treats victims as evidence.
• SFPD crime lab did not immediately respond; Boudin called for an immediate end to the practice.

Connections: Sfpd · Chesa Boudin · Dna Databases · Algorithmic Bias · Privacy

Source: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/02/sfpd-put-rape-victims-dna-into-database-used-to-find-criminals-da-alleges/