The Kojo Nnamdi Show aired a segment today about Maryland’s new DNA database rules:

A new law went into effect this week — allowing police to take DNA swabs of people accused of — but not yet convicted of violent crimes and weapons charges.

The interview was very interesting, but I couldn’t help feeling as I listened that the guests, especially Attorney General McCarthy, were bending over backwards to convince listeners that they had thought of every possible abuse and had addressed it. Yet these rules only apply for Maryland law enforcement – which shares their database with other agencies – and the prosecution for violations will fall on the same system (see the postscript on the article Manuel linked to for the effectiveness of prosecuting government officials).
For statists, including those who are wary of civil rights violations and are interested in finding out the truth in prosecutions (as these guests claim), DNA databases are very difficult to deal with. We can all acknowledge that there are heinous crimes and DNA evidence can help solve crimes and prevent truly despicable criminals from committing more crimes. The problems and concerns surrounding DNA databases only present themselves because there is a state monopoly on law enforcement.
One quote from the show should give you the heebie-jeebies:

Kojo: “Why not just stick everybody’s DNA [in the database]?…”

State Senator Raskin: “…What turns me off of universal DNA recording is we don’t even have Universal Health Insurance. But I think, if we had Universal Health Insurance and the whole society took responsibility for guaranteeing the public health of all its citizens, I think that’s something that we’d have to seriously examine [with precautions]…

Note that in places like Iceland where there is universal healthcare, there is a DNA database and genetic information was excluded only by request (rather than voluntarily included). People were upset that the state “sold” the database to a private firm, but such a database is just as dangerous (I’d argue more so) in the state’s hands.