Black church leaders have joined health experts in welcoming the findings of a new opinion poll that shows strong opposition to adding the DNA of innocent mental health patients to the National Criminal DNA database.
New research by the human rights campaigns group Black Mental Health UK (BMH UK) has shown public opinion to be against the practice, which health experts have warned is criminalising one of society's most vulnerable groups.
The survey's findings, published this week, are based on responses of 742 people to an online survey to guage people's views on adding the genetic profiles of mental health patients who come into contact with the police but have not committed a crime.
An overwhelming 88.41 per cent of those surveyed said they were against taking the DNA of mental health patients who come in contact with the police or criminal justice system while trying to access care.
Of those surveyed, 10.7 per cent said they did not know if DNA should be retained or not. Just 0.81 per cent said they agreed.
BMH UK said the findings showed the practice to be highly unpopular.
"If there is a real commitment to address the stigma and barriers to recovery for people who use the services, then the Government should not allow this practice to continue," said Matilda MacAttram, director of Black Mental Health UK.
