JURIST - Paper Chase: NJ appeals court says DNA database for convicted criminals constitutional

[JURIST] A New Jersey appeals court has ruled [PDF opinion] that a law requiring all convicted criminals to register for a state DNA database in New Jersey is constitutional. The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender [official website] had challenged the law saying that the mandatory sample was an unconstitutional search, but the court ruled Wednesday that "The minimal intrusion resulting from the collection of a DNA sample is substantially outweighed by the state's need to deter and detect recidivist offenders and the public's interest in promptly identifying and accurately prosecuting the actual perpetrators of crime." The public defender's office has said that they will appeal the decision to the New Jersey Supreme Court. New Jersey began collecting DNA from sex offenders in 1994 and gradually expanded the law to include all convicted criminals. New Jersey's Attorney General [official website] has said that over 110,000 DNA samples have been collected thus far. New Jersey's Star-Ledger has more.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase...

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