Supreme Court Rules Police Can Take DNA Samples from Arrestees
A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled Monday that police can routinely take DNA from people they arrest, equating a DNA cheek swab to other common procedures like fingerprinting.
According to The Associated Press, 28 states and the federal government currently take DNA swabs after arrests. This practice is common in all 50 states, but only after getting a court’s blessing. The Supreme Court decision was over whether the DNA collection could come before a conviction and without a warrant.