Dubbed the Hwaseong murders, the case of a serial killer who raped and murdered 10 women in the South Korean city between 1986 and 1991 earned even bigger notoriety when a man was eventually proven innocent through DNA tests after spending 20 years in prison for the crimes.
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) looked at such cases and also studied DNA collection systems of foreign jurisdictions like South Australia, England and the Netherlands in a move to strengthen law enforcement capabilities here.
The ministry hopes to expand the DNA database by collecting samples from individuals involved in a wider scope of crimes – one of the main amendments in the Registration of Criminals (Amendment) Bill announced in Parliament last Monday.
It means the police could soon collect blood samples, hair follicles and saliva from individuals involved in eligible crimes like unlawful stalking, mischief and drink driving.
On looking at practices abroad, an MHA spokesman said: “It helped us to distil good international practices, to enhance the crime solving effectiveness of our law enforcement agencies while balancing concerns over personal privacy and data.
“We did not just directly mirror the practices of other countries but, where appropriate, amended their practices to suit our context.”
Lawyer Shashi Nathan acknowledged the merits of the proposed amendments.
He said: “It is always good to look at other jurisdictions to see how their best practices may be used to improve the system in Singapore.
“DNA analysis works in both ways. It can prove to be conclusive evidence against someone, but in many cases the use of DNA can also exonerate someone and prove their innocence.”
Currently, Singapore police can collect non-DNA identifying information like photographs and fingerprints as well as DNA information only for registrable crimes, which are serious crimes that lead to a criminal record for convicted individuals.
If the proposed amendment is adopted, law enforcement can expand DNA collection to include eligible crimes, which are imprisonable and non-compoundable.
That means offenders do not have the option of settling the case out of court by paying a compensation in lieu of punishment and a criminal record. — The Straits Times/ANN
