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Q&A
Justification for non-consensual DNA collection from juveniles
1:06:28
·
67 sec
Council Member Diana I. Ayala questions NYPD officials about the justification for collecting non-consensual DNA samples from juveniles. NYPD officials provide context and statistics to support their practices, while Ayala expresses concerns about potential overreach.
- NYPD officials cite statistics on juvenile involvement in gun-related crimes
- Ayala questions whether DNA samples are being held 'just in case' of future crimes
- NYPD emphasizes that non-consensual collection from juveniles is rare and mostly related to felony arrests
- Ayala expresses concern that the practice feels like 'lazy policing'
Diana I. Ayala
1:06:28
I'm just trying to figure out how, why the need to collect these non consensually, so one hundred and 70 four is 174, still it may be 6% but it's still a substantial number
Michael LiPetri
1:06:38
to I think I gotta put some data and context into this.
Diana I. Ayala
1:06:42
Yes.
Michael LiPetri
1:06:43
Again, these are ninety nine percent of these abandonment samples are for felony arrests.
1:06:52
Some data.
1:06:53
We know a quarter of juveniles arrested with a gun just a few years ago.
1:06:59
Within two years, they're gonna be involved in a shooting incident in New York City.
Diana I. Ayala
1:07:03
So you hold the so you hold the DNA test the DNA sample just in case?
Michael LiPetri
1:07:07
That's not that's not what I said.
1:07:08
I'm just giving you some DNA.
Diana I. Ayala
1:07:10
That's what it feels like.
1:07:11
It feels like lazy policing.
1:07:12
It it feels like, you know what?
1:07:14
I don't wanna I don't have enough information, so I can't go to court and ask for a court order because the judge is gonna tell me that they can't give it to me because I don't have any to suggest that this person committed a crime, but just in case I'm gonna collect it and you know the law, there's a loophole in the law that allows me to collect it anyway, I'm gonna collect it and I'm gonna keep it in storage just in case this person commits a crime.