Free Essay

How Dna Has Changed

In:

Submitted By auntiebabaa
Words 960
Pages 4
How DNA has changed the Criminal Justice System
Dorothy Harris
Professor Sean Kelley
Information Technology in Criminal Justice
November 9, 2011

How DNA has changed 1 The technology has changed many aspects of the criminal justice system, and the use of DNA evidence represents one of the best examples on how technology has change the criminal justice system. The use of DNA has changed by allowing other materials beside blood to be used as identification. The DNA technology is behind what it takes in solving criminal cases, and the meaning between guilty and not guilty or life or death. There are various ways that the criminal justice system uses DNA technology. DNA has been used to analyze and prove innocence or guilty of suspects of crimes with great accuracy. DNA is part of everyday life. IT is the heredity material in humans abs almost all other organisms. In 1994, the DNA Identification Act established a national DNA database, run by the FBI, called CODIS (Combined DNA Identification System), which links all states. While the creation of DNA databases often can be defended case by case, the development of this technology serves an end in itself apart from any particular application. It provides an inescapable means of identification, categorization, and profiling, and it does so with a type of information that is revelatory in a way few things are. While being part of an investigation, DNA has help solve crimes. The DNA evidence is gathered at the crime scene such as blood, sweat, semen, etc. There is a couple of ways that DNA left behind can be tested to help solve crimes. Either if the suspect has been caught and or had his or her DNA tested, or if he or she left behind any biological evidence. This then needs to be tested to see if it matches the DNA left behind at the crime scene to his or her DNA match. The result to this comparison may help establish if the suspect committed the crime. The DNA evidence is then compared to the law enforcement databases to identify the criminal or rule out any suspects. Today in law enforcement, DNA How DNA has changed 2 evidence is probably the most powerful investigative tool available. In addition to helping capture criminals, DNA testing has been instrumental in identifying human remains. DNA evidence has dramatically changed the landscape of crime fighting. The development and expansion of databases that contain DNA profiles at the local, state, and national level have greatly enhanced law enforcement’s ability to solve cases with DNA. Convicted offender databases store hundreds of thousands of potential suspect DNA profiles, against which DNA profiles development from crime scene evidence can be compared. The forensic DNA technology has had an incredible impact on a number of areas. It has change much about criminal justice systems around the world. It has changed our view of statutes of limitations, making formerly, arbitrarily determined time limits now based on what is scientifically possible. It has changed our view of old and unsolved crimes, giving life to cases previously though unsolvable. It has challenged our belief in the reliability of our judicial system through post conviction exonerations. It has even spawned an entire genre of television shows. DNA evidence can help to convict the guilty, acquit the innocent, or exonerate those wrongly accused or convicted. DNA can also be used to exonerate convicted criminals that may be on death row or servicing life in prison. For example, Jerry Miller was exonerated in 2007 in Illinois after serving 25 years in Illinois prison for a rape he did not commit, making him the 200th person cleared by DNA testing in the United States. He was misidentified by witnesses in a police line up, a factor shared by 75 % of wrongful convictions overturned by DNA testing. One of the advantages of DNA is that by using DNA fingerprinting it can be use in solving crimes, have a chance to solve old unsolved crimes, identification of victims in mass terrorist attacks, aircraft How DNA has change 3 accidents, and increased like hood of finding assailants in criminal offences, especially violet and sexual assaults. DNA is found in every cell in the body, any portion of the human body can be used to establish your identity. Since it is impossible to remove all body or physical traces a persons presence DNA fingerprint is a very useful in murder or homicide cases in which the body has been disfigured, or fingers have been burned or the teeth and other features are destroyed . One cell is good enough for a positive identification. One of the disadvantages is that many prisoners do not have legal means to secure testing or evidence in their cases. There are states that have passed statues that will keep innocent people from securing DNA test to prove their innocent. The rise of DNA analysis has enabled a level of accuracy in criminal identification not possible before the development of certain technologies, and show how technology is shaping, and will continue to shape, how the criminal justice system operates. In case after case, DNA has proven what scientists already know that eyewitness identification is frequently inaccurate. DNA identification can be quite effective if used intelligently. Although no evidence is 100 percent accurate, many forensic scientists say that DNA is superior to all other types of evidence, especially eyewitness testimony.

How DNA has changed 4
References
Foster, R. E. (2005). Police Technology. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. www. ehow.com/list Advantages of Fingerprinting
Lazer, D, ed. DNA and the Criminal Justice System: The Technology of Justice. Cambridge, MA: MIT press, 2004
Parks, P.J. (2009). DNA Evidence and Investigation Reference. Reference Point Press, San Diego, CA

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Dna Testing

...Assignment: DNA Testing James Bunch CRJ311 Forensics Instructor Will Curcio April 9, 2012 This paper will compare and contrast the newest DNA-typing techniques and short tandem repeats (STRs) with previous DNA typing tests. It will detail how DNA is currently used in criminal investigations. Finally, what is the current impact of DNA testing on the criminal justice system and how has DNA revolutionized this system? In April of 1953 Dr’s Watson and Crick announced the discovery of deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA. The scientific world has not been the same. Before the discovery of DNA the investigators could use blood to narrow the list of suspects. With the discovery of DNA we now have a blood “fingerprint”. Identical twins do not have identical finger prints and in some cases they do not have identical DNA (2008, Casselman). This can make the job of the investigator easier. DNA testing began with Dr. Alec Jeffery in 185 he discovered that certain places on the DNA molecule were repeated. He also found that these repeated sequences were unique to each individual. These repeated sequenced areas are known as VNTRs which is an acronym for variable number tandem repeats. The technique Jeffrey...

Words: 1076 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Forensic Analysis Of DNA

...New Methods for the Forensic Analysis of DNA By Professor David S. Haymer I attended the lecture by Professor Haymer about new methods for the forensic analysis of DNA. Forensic science has long been used in the US legal system for classic fingerprints, lie detector tests and others. Even though the use of DNA evidence is relatively new, it has changed a lot about forensic science and how things are done. It’s changed the legal standards for use of forensics in the courtroom and the way the evidence is collected and preserved, and how police are trained to investigate crimes. DNA is considered to be superior in many ways to other forms of forensic evidence like fingerprints, hair analysis and serology tests. The only DNA forensic evidence...

Words: 310 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

DNA Profiling

...DNA has shaped all organisms and shows the genetic code that makes us who we are today. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid a double helix structure. It is like a twisted ladder with unequaled attributes. It has the ability to store genetic information, copy it, and pass it from generations to others making a unique genetic code. DNA profiling, the analysis of DNA samples to establish if they come from the same person has been used in many situations over the past few decades for identification. This has revolutionized science tremendously. It had changed and improved how forensic science is performed. DNA profiling, especially in crime scenes has been a matter of life or death in many stories. Over the years the analysis of DNA evidence...

Words: 720 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Chem Class

... The way the DNA is composed is a very complex matter. This journal was published in The Journal Of Clinical Physics on July 29, 2010. The authors were Margret C. Linak and Kevin D. Dorfman. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. Deoxyribonucleic acid is a material in humans and other organisms. Almost every cell in a persons body has the same DNA. A persons DNA defines who they are and what traits they have. This journal I choose experiments with the simulation that is used to describe the model of DNA through different experiments and tests. The tests that were done in this experiment were trying to show the correct melting temperature of the model. How will these experiments turn out in the end? To begin, the scientists in this experiment want to show how they tried to simulate DNA. The methods that were done were to try and show the nucleotide sequences and figuring out the values of the X and Y chromosomes. Also, the scientists tried to conserve the identity of the stem of the cytosine bases in the loop. The cytosine bases were replaced with guanines of different lengths. Cytosine bases are involved with the pairing of the DNA and the chromosomes. The experiment used DNA hairpins. DNA hairpins are the structure of the DNA. The scientists made an hypothesis to try and test what they thought would happen during the experiment. The hypothesis that was made during this experiment was that by the different tests that were done, one of those tests would have...

Words: 725 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Use of Dna in Solving Crimes

...How DNA has changed the Criminal Justice System Information Technology in the Criminal Justice System Professor Cynthia Orth Tyrone S. Gibbs 11/21/2010 1 The use of Dna has changed the Criminal Justice System by allowing other materials beside blood to be used as identification. Before the advent of DNA testing, human identify testing was carried out mostly by using blood typing DNA analysis has now passed blood testing and is now the most accurate method currently available for human identification. DNA testing is used in determining parentage but is more widely known for the use in criminal cases. DNA testing is a powerful and reliable form of forsenic evidence that can beyond a shadow of a doubt reveal whether a person is innocence or guilt. One of the disadvantages however, is many prisoners do not have the legal means to secure testing or evidence in their cases. Some states have passed statues that include barriers to testing that are almost impossible to surpass. This is a obstacle that will keep innocent people from securing DNA test to prove their innocent. One of the advantges of DNA is that by using DNA fingerprinting is the use in solving crimes. Since DNA is found in almost every cell in the body, any portion of the human body can be used to establish identity. Just by the use 2 of a single strand of hair, a piece of skin, nail, a drop of blood or saliva can establish guilt or innoccence. Since it is impossible to remove all bodily or physical traes...

Words: 329 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Hsc Biology, Blueprint of Life Module Notes.

...HSC Biology – Blueprint of Life 4. The structure of DNA can be changed and such changes may be reflected in the phenotype of the affected organism. The phenotype of an organism is its total appearance determined during development by an interaction between its genetic make-up (genotype) and the environment. A genome is all of the genetic material (DNA) within a cell and is specific to each organism. Genomes influence nearly all the traits or phenotypes. The phenotypic appearance is therefore directly affected by gene expression. The extent of phenotypic differences depends on how different the DNA sequences are in individuals, but may also be influenced by the environment. • Outline evidence that led to Beadle and Tatum’s ‘one gene-one protein’ hypothesis and explain why this was altered to the ‘one gene – one polypeptide’ hypothesis Beadle and Tatum carried out experiments with red bread mould. The normal variety of mould can manufacture certain substances that it needs for living, including vitamin B1, B2, B4 and B12. The normal moult possesses specific enzymes that catalyse the different reactions that produce these vitamins. Beadle and Tatum produced several varieties of the bread mould, each of which had a change in one of its genes. They tested these varieties and found that some had lost their ability to make vitamin B2 while others could no longer make vitamin B4 and so on. The results obtained by Beadle and Tatum showed that a change in various...

Words: 5135 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

Genome Project

...13-year attempt coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. The mission originally was intended to last 15 years, but quick scientific advances accelerated the achievement date to 2003. Cloning is the process of replicating the genes present within a DNA molecule, in order to be able to make copies of an organism. I remember the first cloning of a mammal; it was a sheep by the name of “Dolly,” whom was successfully cloned in 1997, by a group of Scottish scientists. Cloning could make it achievable for us to get modified organisms. But we must also look at how will cloning fit into our ethical values? DNA fingerprints are often used as evidence in criminal law cases and with paternity issues. Different from a usual fingerprint that occurs only on the fingertips and can be changed by operations, a DNA fingerprint is identical for all cells, tissues, and organs of an individual. It can’t be distorted by any known procedure. I believe DNA fingerprinting is resourceful in criminal cases, but there must be limits set as to how far the government can go into obtaining our DNA. Genetic engineering is any procedures by which genetic material are changed in a way to make possible the creation of substances or functions. Genetic Engineering is most commonly used in the make up in the food we eat. I myself have attempted this before, but no success to creating mint flavored strawberries. I think genetic engineering is great for what it can...

Words: 503 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Technology in Criminal Justice

...How Technology Has Changed Policing Since the implementation of the two-way radio back in the 1930’s, technology has rapidly changed policing in many ways. There have been so many groundbreaking technological advances in policing which are usually advantageous to officers. First, it was motorized patrol which increased response time. Next, the two way radio which made it game changing for preventative patrol, because officer can quickly get word from the station when they are notified of a crime and can be there quickly. Also, some of the newer technologies are also very significant as well, such as DNA testing and video surveillance. All of these things have shaped the roles that present day police officers have. When it comes to technology there are so many different way that it effects policing, but three of the biggest topics are, technological advancements in the late 20th and early 21st century, the use of technology to deter and prevent crime, and how technology impacts police culture, organizational structure, and management. Over the last thirty to forty technology in policing has increased to a level thought unimaginable fifty years ago. One of the most important pieces of technology that has really developed, is the collection of information in databases around the country at the hand of any officer at any time. With all this information that an officer has readily at use it can make the job not just easier but safer. If an officer pulls someone over just...

Words: 1757 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Life Science

...effect. Einstein is generally considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century. Another one is Gorge Washington Carver; Carver was born into slavery in Diamond, Missouri, around 1864. The exact year and date of his birth are unknown. Carver went on to become one of the most prominent scientists and inventors of his time, as well as a teacher at the Tuskegee Institute. Carver devised over 100 products using one of these crops the peanut including dyes, plastics and gasoline. Since I took this course science had made me think about my life a lot Science has improved my life in many ways. First, it's given me a safe and reliable means of controlling my reproductive choices. It's improved my understanding of the nutritional needs of my body and what I feed my daughter. Science has provided many of the modern day conveniences that have become essential to my life like electricity, car, and wireless devices. Science has also given to me a whole idea of healthy and non-healthy food that helps me keep in shape. Now for the assignment is very interesting and I’m excited to write about the information that I know. The unique physical and chemical properties of water molecules are charged, with the oxygen atom...

Words: 1263 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier

...human body what it truly is.  Such things as Genes. Genetically modified organisms(GMO),  genetics/inheritance, and stem cells.   In chapter seven  we talked about the structure of human DNA. DNA is a rather complex  structure because that's just what it is a double helix structure.  Hereditary Molecule are served as  an instruction manual for how to build an individual. One DNA molecule has 23 pairs of  chromosomes one from each parent. The 23ed chromosome is what determines your sex, you  could either be a female XX, or a male XY.  Part of the chapter we did a lap on making our own  DNA chain. We had to take our supplies and see what traits we had two off and which one was  closest to the lines in yo have that trait. Once you made you match you had to cut them out and  put them with the other chain to from your DNA linking them together.   Chapter eight is about GMO’s.  A GMO is where something in the DNA sequence has  been altered by humans. Certain things have been changed by humans. Such things as plants.  Plants have been changed to help them last in different weather conditions. Such as drought, the  desert, or even climates that don't provide the right weather conditions for them to grow. Now     2  that's just somethings that have been altered. Animals genes as well as things they produce are  being changed to help human life.   During our lab for this chapter we started out doing a partner exercises on the laptops.  Where we had to modify flies, to try and make them glow...

Words: 746 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Criminal Justice Treands Evaluation

...to harm us. No matter what, in our community we should be able to feel safe from harm. In this essay I am going to evaluate the past, present and the future trends in the interface between components of the criminal justice system and criminal justice connections with surrounding society. I have always heard this phrase, “Whatever is the past is the past so let it stay in the past”. But when we are looking into the past and thinking of how society was then we can always say that we as a community felt safe. Our law enforcement back in the 1800’s was always there to protect us no matter what the situation was. Law Enforcement officers back then were a lot more respectful, they always treated everyone the same and did not so favoritism. Law enforcement officers back then also were always making sure that every neighborhood was safe. They would do their patrol of the neighborhoods on foot and go door to door to make sure that there was not anything going on in that neighborhood. They would also walk the streets, always ask the passerby how things were going and they knew then by name. The community’s always felt safe when they were out in their community and knew that the law enforcement officers cared for them and their community that...

Words: 1437 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Dna/Genetics Article Review and Report

... telling about DNA that was found in the leg bone of a 400,000 year-old fossil. This is a huge development since scientists have not been able to find DNA in fossils older than 60,000 years (Rincon, 2013). The bone described in this article was found in Spain in an area referred to as the ‘Pit of Bones’(Rincon, 2013). This is a cave where the remains of 28 people were found. The ‘Pit of Bones’ is located near Burgos in Northern Spain (Rincon, 2013). The bones were found to be of ancient people who lived in the Middle Pleistocene Age. For scientists, accessing these bones was not an easy task as the cave is hidden and is only accessible through ropes and tunnels. One of the most important renowned characteristics of DNA is that it breaks down as time passes. It is therefore fairly difficult to access DNA as old as 400,000 years (Rincon, 2013). However, as reported in this article, technology has helped scientists to make such discoveries as the one described herein. The scientists who made this discovery were also able to come up with a sequence of mitochondrial DNA from the femur, although it was incomplete. This sequence showed a relationship with 40,000 year-old fossils found in Siberia (Rincon, 2013). The cause of this relationship is said to be interbreeding across ancient populations from different regions. The scientists also related the DNA acquired to the Homo antecessor, an ancient human species. The next step from this discovery is to find nuclear DNA that is more helpful...

Words: 917 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Crime Scene Research Paper

...Today technology has advanced so much that we can get DNA from people just by a little bit of skin or saliva but, it was not always like this. The crime scene has come a long way from where it started. It’s evolution not only produced better results and more techniques to investigate, but has fixed issues that may have occurred before. Unlike how most people think of it forensics uses in investigations has been around for more than just the past 50 years. It has been around for thousands. In ancient times people assumed the way people died on where and how their body was found. For example if a body was found near or in a river it was assumed that they drowned. Another is if a body was found on the side of the road being bloody with broken...

Words: 1276 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Crime Data Comparison Paper

...for each metropolitan area. In addition, this student will address how the crime rate changed over time in each city, and what factors might explain the differences in the rates? Finally, this student provides a conclusion about the topic Crime Data Comparison Paper In this paper, this student completes the following: This student will compare forcible rape crime rates for California and Oregon State. This student will compare the data to show which metropolitan area had more reported incidents of forcible rape crimes. This student will also identify the rates of the crime for each metropolitan area. In addition, this student will address how the crime rate changed over time in each state, and what factors might explain the differences in the rates? Finally, this student provides a conclusion about the topic * Number of Forcible Rape Crimes Reported The FBI has gathered crime statistics from law enforcement agencies from across the Nation that voluntarily participates in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program since 1930. The "UCR Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics" (2010) website reports that California had an estimated 7,837 forcible rape crimes reported for the state in 2012. Oregon had 1,140 forcible rape crimes reported for the same year. These numbers are totals from all national reporting agencies; this also includes estimates for unreported areas. Forcible Rape Crime Rates California has almost seven times the forcible rape crimes reported over...

Words: 745 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Int1 Task 1

...Nature Of Science Evolution Evolution :- All living beings have developed over time from ancestors through a series of changes. That life has changed over long periods of time, with all forms of life related to one another, is a scientifically well-established fact. There are two aspects of evolution today. First, evolution is the organizing principle for all of biology. Just as we are offspring from our parents, and our grandparents before them, and so on, all living organisms today are inclined from organisms that lived in the past. Understanding how and why these ancestor-descendent lineages have changed through time helps us appreciate the diversity of life we see today. Genetics, anatomy, physiology, neurology, morphology, and behavior all of these aspects of living organisms have evolved through time. The study of the evolutionary processes that produced these traits provides the comprehensive framework for understanding them. Theory Of Evolution Evolution Theory: - Evolution is technically defined as: "a gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form." As it is most famously used, "evolution" is the process by which an organism becomes more sophisticated over time and in response to its environment. The Theory of Evolution is currently the most popular concept of how life reached its current state. Evolution as a biological mechanism is driven by natural selection. This theory is favored by many scientists to...

Words: 1588 - Pages: 7