There's a poster campaign running on the trams at the moment called Spit n Run, which is presumably (and rightly) meant to deter people from spitting at transport staff. However it makes some rather dubious claims: it says that every transport interchange is equipped with a DNA analyser and this will enable police to track offenders down even if they don't know what they look like.

Well, that may be partly true - but they'll only be able to track offenders down if their DNA is stored on the national database already. Unless there's something they're not telling us of course. And are transport interchange staff properly trained in the use of DNA analysers then? I must say that although it's a disgusting thing to do and in no way do I condone it (whether it's some chav in the bus station or El Hadj Diouf on the football pitch), this does seem a rather pathetic use of the DNA database compared to solving murders, rapes etc. Sledgehammer and nut come to mind.

I heard a programme about this very subject on the radio, and yes the kits are designed for someone with minimal training to take a sample and keep it uncontaminated.
The problem is an increasing and distressing one for the staff, and I think they are right to crack down on it. Many of the culprits are repeat offenders and if they are physically caught spitting by the transport police then they can be held up to account for all the other offences they caused.

I would like similar technology to catch all the scrubbers who spit chewing gum all over the city, so they can be made to clean up 100 times what they caused to teach them a lesson. Just look at any pavement yeuch!

I would like similar technology to catch all the scrubbers who spit chewing gum all over the city, so they can be made to clean up 100 times what they caused to teach them a lesson. Just look at any pavement yeuch! [/B][/QUOTE]

Now that's a top idea!

Give it time - it'll come.

I still can't help feeling that running round the other side of the counter and grabbing the b*ggers might be a cheaper approach though.

You can get Hepititas from salvia so wouldn't you like to confront the person who gives you this desease??? Spitting is classed as assualt I think one of the reasons for this is they can give you desease's. Plus its not nice to be spat in the face, how would you like someone elses gob in your mouth, eyes etc

Jubby

They are in use by a lot of bus and rail companies, as it is said to reduce attacks on drivers and conductors.

Originally posted by metalman
Well, that may be partly true - but they'll only be able to track offenders down if their DNA is stored on the national database already.

The sort of unpleasant people who spit at strangers are, I'd imagine, likely to do other unpleasant things too, so there's a good chance they will be in there for other offences! :)

At the end of the day, if the fact that these dna kits are available deters some people it has got to make it worthwhile - I'd have to say it's a good thing.

Originally posted by jubby
Plus its not nice to be spat in the face, how would you like someone elses gob in your mouth, eyes etc

Jubby


Well of course I wouldn't and I did say that in no way would I defend people who do this. I'm not entirely sure that it's that easy to catch diseases from saliva though otherwise nobody would ever kiss anybody else.

My point was that this seems like a very high-tech, time- and money-consuming solution to what is essentially a fairly low grade assault, however unpleasant. I'd be interested to know how much of it is just deterrent, or whether scores of people have actually been rounded up and charged with assault as a result of this.

They're on busses too.

Alex

Originally posted by metalman
Well of course I wouldn't and I did say that in no way would I defend people who do this. I'm not entirely sure that it's that easy to catch diseases from saliva though otherwise nobody would ever kiss anybody else.



Hepitats (excuse the spelling) is transferable via salivia. When i worked in security and event safety my employers paid for me to have vaccinations against Hepetitas but this only gave me 80% protection. If I was ever spat on and it entered my mouth I had to be tested and it was stressful awaiting an all clear. I was always told by the nurse taking my bloods that I am lucky to be vaccinated.

Hepetitas B is uncurable but can be controlled. The ways I know it can be passed is salvia (kissing included) and via sexual intercourse. I would NEVER snog someone who I knew had hepetitas.

Originally posted by jubby
Hepitats (excuse the spelling) is transferable via salivia. When i worked in security and event safety my employers paid for me to have vaccinations against Hepetitas but this only gave me 80% protection. If I was ever spat on and it entered my mouth I had to be tested and it was stressful awaiting an all clear. I was always told by the nurse taking my bloods that I am lucky to be vaccinated.

Hepetitas B is uncurable but can be controlled. The ways I know it can be passed is salvia (kissing included) and via sexual intercourse. I would NEVER snog someone who I knew had hepetitas.

All First Drivers have Spit Kits on board.

Spitting on another person is an assault (even if it does not occasion actual bodily harm). We all have a right to go to work without being assaulted, including being spat at.

I for one am pleased that the transport employers are taking this new action. DNA testing will deter spitting, and can assist in tracing culprits. Where there is a DNA match, it is likely that the culprit may already have a history of criminal activity. But even if there is no DNA match, the evidence remains on file - and any future DNA test may eventually uncover the culprit.

I forgot to add - the PTA wrote to me last week to explain that the DNA kits being supplied on buses will be used by their drivers. They are not just being advertised as a deterrent.

They DNS kits are easy to use, but drivers will have to wear gloves (also supplied as part of the kit) to undertake the testing. This prevents risk of contamination (hepatitus, TB, and other water-born diseases) and cross-contamination of DNA evidence. The DNA tests apply to skin and clothing.

Originally posted by redrobbo
I forgot to add - the PTA wrote to me last week to explain that the DNA kits being supplied on buses will be used by their drivers. They are not just being advertised as a deterrent.

They DNS kits are easy to use, but drivers will have to wear gloves (also supplied as part of the kit) to undertake the testing. This prevents risk of contamination (hepatitus, TB, and other water-born diseases) and cross-contamination of DNA evidence. The DNA tests apply to skin and clothing.

Thank you redrobbo (at least we don't argue across threads lol) I was beginning to think I was made to go for jabs and blood tests for no reason. I was never told about other things I could catch, maybe hepatitus is the easist and most common. A lot of the people who spat at me were addicts so quite posible had hepatitus from sharing needles.

As other people have pointed out most of the people who kick of that bad already have criminal records or if their teenagers prob will have soon. So can be traced.

Fair enough. Explanations accepted - it's a sad state of affairs that we've come to this but if that's what it takes, I suppose it's got to be done.

As for having training on how to use these kits...not really all that hard is it, you take a swab of the DNA and place it in a bottle/bag and seal it....I think you'll find it's the old bill that trace it against records on the PNC...it's not a database that is just alllowed to be accesed willy nilly by any old tom dick and harry....

Originally posted by redrobbo
But even if there is no DNA match, the evidence remains on file - and any future DNA test may eventually uncover the culprit.

You see that raises an interesting question though. Samples are presumably contributed to the DNA database by trained forensic scientists who collect them from the scenes of crimes, or by trained personnel who take them from suspects. Maybe the database can't be accessed by any old Tom, Dick or Harry... but should any old Tom, Dick, Harry or bus driver be allowed to contribute samples to it? What if I, as a private citizen, took a sample along to the police and claimed that I'd been spat on by someone - would that then go onto the database too?

There are a couple of points that worry me.
The sample can be contaminated very easily. If the sample of spit was taken from clothing, then it would be difficult to prove that the clothing had not been contaminated with DNA from the suspect by some innocent prior contact with the clothing or that the suspect contaminated the spit after it landed on the clothing durring an altercation.
The staff member could collect a dirty tissue from the suspect and take a sample of this then claim they were spat upon, thus framing an innocent person. How could the staff member prove they had not framed somebody they had a grudge against.
DNA testing is a powerful weapon but, like other powerful weapons, they can be dangerous in the wrong hands.
As for gathering evidence against serial idiots and nailing them for everything they did and left DNA behind; I'm all for it.