Scottish children who commit sexual or violent offences could have their DNA stored on a police database under a review of the law surrounding DNA retention.

Scottish police currently must destroy the fingerprint and DNA records of all suspects who are not convicted, except where a suspect is arrested or detained and criminal proceedings were raised against them for a sexual or violent offence.

Laws were changed in January to delay the destruction of DNA records in such cases for a period of three years, or potentially longer with the agreement of a sheriff.

The review, which will examine the case for holding on to this DNA, will be carried out by Professor James Fraser, head of Strathclyde University's Centre for Forensic Science and a former president of the Forensic Science Society.

Scotland has also opted out of following English and Wales in creating a national DNA database which is believed to have kept the DNA of more than 100,000 children who have been arrested and then released for crimes such as loitering or littering.

Justifying the Scottish Government's plans, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the review would focus on individuals prosecuted for violent and sexual offences, checking whether the procedures introduced in January are effective.

It would also examine why it should be lawful to retain DNA records but require fingerprint records to be destroyed.

"Our government has already made clear we do not support the blanket retention of all forensic information taken from innocent people. We are not persuaded, for example, that it would generally be right for the police to keep fingerprints and DNA samples from everyone who is detained but not convicted, or even prosecuted,” he said.

His words were enough to some appease human rights activists such as Genewatch, which lobbies against the blanket retention of DNA.

Dr Helen Wallace, a representative the organisation said she was relaxed about profiles being kept of juveniles as long as the “proposal was justified by evidence that it's likely to prevent serious crimes."