Criminal Justice Trends Evnaluatio

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a chemical structure containing a base sequence. Base pairs are genetic codes made up of four chemicals (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine and Thymine) and each sequence differs in every person. Because DNA is so complex and varies immensely in individuals, it can be used like a fingerprint, hence the name DNA Fingerprinting. DNA can be found and analyzed in blood, semen, saliva, hair and skin--even decades old if properly stored. The process takes longer than simple fingerprinting and is very expensive, but the results are almost perfect in determining identity. While these tests are very accurate, there is a 1 in 50 billion chance that two people

DNA analysis technology has improved police investigations by providing the accurate potential to contribute to investigations in the following ways. Solving particularly hard cases where all the other investigative techniques have failed. Provide clues where there is no witness. Find application in an ever-widening range of cases. Reduce the number of wrong arrests and increase the reliability of the evidence. DNA has also linked together cases involving sex crimes, gang related crimes, sexual crimes, murders and even international investigations. (CalandroDennis, Reeder Karen Cormier, "Evolution of DNA Evidence for Crime Solving - A Judicial and Legislative History", 2005)

DNA testing is used regularly throughout our country. As technology improves, government databases and formating becomes stronger. With this, the government is accurately able to solve crimes and save lives. DNA testing is an incredible device in which real life applications are solved with simple identification. Forensic testing aids to finding suspects and victims in criminal investigations. DNA testing is an advancement in technology, and using it to the best of its abilities can proficiently do justice in the U.S. Not only can DNA testing take criminals off the streets, but it can also help gives evidence and vital information on individuals linked to a specific incident. Statistics have shown that before the creation of DNA testing in the late 1980’s, tens of thousands of investigations were completed in which identified suspects were improperly accused. These statistics clearly state how DNA testing is extremely important in today’s society. Without it, who knows where criminal investigations would be. Professor Amitai Etzioni from George Washington University wrote

DNA testing has been around for many years. DNA testing was first used to determine paternity (Schwartz 2016). Today, DNA is not only used in paternity cases, but it is also used in criminal justice. DNA in the criminal justice was first used in 1986 in the United Kingdom. Dr. Alec J. Jeffreys was accused for two rape murders and later proven innocent by DNA testing (The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2003).  Even if this method is reliable most of the time, there are times where the DNA expert might make a mistake, might be rigged or there might be an unknown bias. Unfortunately, because of this innocent individual are wrongfully accused of a crime they did not commit. Dr. Itel Dror wanted to test this theory. In a

For this assignment, I chose to research Alec Jeffreys. He is a renowned geneticist credible for the techniques used in modern DNA profiling. These processes are vital to a career in law enforcement and what will hopefully be my future career in forensics, “[M]any lawyers see the technique as ‘the prosecution’s dream and the defense’s nightmare”(The Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists). With the ability to prove a person’s innocence or guilt through admission of their own DNA is compelling, if not the most compelling, form of evidence available to law enforcement. To properly format these findings as to avoid the damnation of the innocent and ensure that justice is efficiently executed is duty of utmost importance.

An optimistic feature of DNA is that it can be used to relate a someone to wrongdoing. Also, it could free somebody who has been alleged of lawbreaking that they had nothing to do with.

The purpose of this report is to show the evolution of DNA testing throughout the years helping solve crimes efficiently and quicker, the advantages that DNA testing has made for people wrongly accused of crimes.

DNA can be used to identify criminals with amazing precision when biological evidence e.g. blood, semen and saliva, exists. Similarly, DNA can be used to exonerate people mistakenly blamed or convicted of a crime. DNA is usually used to solve crimes in one of two ways. In cases where a suspect is known, a sample of

In order to answer the guiding question, a procedure needed to be followed. DNA fingerprinting is how forensic scientists figure who the criminal was

Crime solving has come a long way since the P.I days, and with the extreme advances in biology and the sciences, forensics has integrated itself into criminology with a fervor. Starting around the 1980’s Scientist Sir Alec Jeffreys and his team first derived the process of DNA fingerprinting and realized the incredible tool they had at their disposal for anything from paternity testing to DNA evidence comparison at crime scenes. After Jeffreys’ DNA fingerprinting was used to put away a dangerous criminal with matched evidence, the process evolved using the technology of Poly Chain Reaction (PCR) and Gel Electrophoresis (The history of genetic fingerprinting). With this relatively easy system of DNA fingerprinting and the very small amount of easily collected DNA that can be used to develop a fingerprint, criminal convictions using DNA evidence and fingerprinting has become an integral part of crime scene investigations. And it was with this increase in dependence upon DNA to solve crimes that the government began to institute more laws surrounding the collection of DNA from individuals facing arrest, convicted or otherwise. While DNA exoneration has come a long way in terms of technological advancements and uses, there is questionability as to what the government is utilizing in requiring mandatory DNA sampling and the further implications upon human rights as DNA becomes a staple of most criminal conviction cases.

Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA can be used to identify criminals with incredible accuracy when biological evidence exists. Law enforcement rely on DNA technology to ensure the accuracy and fairness in the criminal justice system

Forensic science has come a long way to solving crimes as they occur each day, from stealing, killings, burglary and kidnappings. People that commit these crimes need to be caught so that they pay the consequence for their actions. While catching a criminal is not an easy task, however some of the most effective ways to do so come from the effectiveness of DNA analysis. Forensic scientist play a vital role in helping catch criminals, using different devices so as DNA markers and DNA testing along with many more different types to help catch a criminal. It is possible for DNA analysis to have unfounded results that can lead to an unjust conviction, with most of the time, resulting from human error. Although there remains diverse thoughts on the issues of DNA analysis being the most effective tool for the law enforcement, most researchers agree that DNA analysis is highly effective and helps law enforcement cracking down on the criminals that committed the crimes.

In the 1980’s biotechnology gave foundation to the most prevalent and relied upon science in criminal investigation, DNA analysis. Through the development of genetic engineering, unique areas of the human genome were identified; these areas distinguished the identity of an individual person with the exception of identical twins. When applied to forensic science a scientist could distinguish the exact origin of a biological sample such as blood or body fluid to a known person. The technique was first used to authenticate a confession of 17 year old boy in England. Although there was a confession, the test exonerated the child from the crime and the true perpetrator was eventually identified through the same means. DNA

Sir Alec Jeffreys’ 1984 discovery of DNA fingerprinting in England has revolutionized the criminal justice system by enabling legal entities to determine innocence or guilt of a suspect to a much higher level of accuracy(Butler). This discovery has also provided the ability to identify victims of natural disasters or catastrophes like 911(Lippincott). Additionally, DNA testing or profiling, has helped doctors and researchers to identify medical conditions and illnesses, determine pre-existing conditions and prevent them sometimes before they actually occur(Roewer). Also, DNA could be separated from different individuals in mixed stains like, when two or

Genetic fingerprints can be used to identify suspects from a crime scene. DNA is found in blood, hair, saliva and seminal fluid. If any of these are recovered at a crime scene they can be used to find the genetic fingerprint. Extracting the DNA will reveal its unique code which can then be traced to the convict. This is a very costly procedure so it must be performed accurately by a trained competent laboratory worker. It has been known that people have been wrongly accused of crimes due to errors when reading their genetic