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Dna and crime investigation
Dna crime investigation
Dna and crime investigation
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Dna and crime investigation
Dna crime investigation
Dna and crime investigation
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Again, if this crime was committed when we knew more about DNA, the defendant would probably have been found
“On September 20th, 1986 a young woman was killed and, left behind at the scene, was a piece of DNA that investigators hoped would help solve the case” (Biemesderfer). There was no way to identify people yet. Nowadays, you can identify whose footprint it is by investigators and
Without the help of DNA, connecting offenders to their victims and the scene of the crime, so many cases would be left unsolved. Shockingly enough, it wasn’t until 1984 where DNA was used for biological identification. Once DNA started to play such a big role in criminal justice, many cases where they didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute, were brought to court and finally solved. Even though there was such a large gap in when the offenses were first committed and when they were solved, there was still justice for the victims and their families. An important case where DNA changes everything would be that of Gary Ridgway, otherwise known as the green river killer.
The fingerprint evidence is what the case hinged on other than victims
DNA profiling was first established in 1985, and has seen extensive use in the field of forensic science and genomics. DNA profiling was developed in 1984 by Alec Jeffreys, after he noticed that certain sequences of highly variable DNA, which were non-coding, were repeated within genes (McKie, 2009). He recognised that each individual has a unique pattern of non-coding DNA sequences therefore allowing them to be profiled. The process has helped the police in solving crime cases over the years, as every individual’s DNA is unique to their characteristics, forensic scientists can use the DNA at a crime scene to identify the victims, reduce the number of wrongful arrests, increase the reliability of evidence, and provide information at crime scenes where there are no witnesses. The purpose of the investigation is to analyse whether newborn infants should have their DNA profiled and stored in a database at birth.
Throughout the years, forensic technology has evolved from using photography to fingerprint identification in order to help identify criminals. Without hesitation, it is easy to believe that lots of crimes have been solved due to advanced technology rather than be dismissed as another unsolved case. An example of advanced technology that should be recognized is the use of DNA evidence. Though, the idea of DNA profiling being an accurate tool to solve cases is still a matter to be discussed. It is safe to assume that the technology used for DNA profiling is important to the methods of forensic sciences because it provides better evidence (as opposed to eyewitness testimony), it helps discover criminals of past unsolved crimes, and it helps
DNA fingerprinting (traditionally known as DNA profiling) uses DNA as a biometric identifier. A DNA profile can identify a person with high levels of accuracy. When investigators need to zero down on a single person in a pool of possible individuals or identify from unknown remains by learning from ancestry and appearance, DNA phenotyping is used. After the individual is identified, DNA profiling can be used to prove the match if a reference sample is available.
Richard Edward Henry of Scotland Yard began using fingerprinting in 1901 and its success eventually lead to its increased
Therefore, the DNA evidence is accepted as well and can be used as evidence to prove the guilt of the offender especially the serious case such as murder or rape. In common law,
In 1888, Sir Francis Galton noticed that fingerprints never changed due to cuts, burns, or age and he scientifically proved that fingerprints could be used to identify individuals and could even be used to convict a criminal of a crime. 3 years later, Juan Vucetich, an Argentine police officer, proved a woman murdered her two sons by using a bloody handprint on the door post of their home. This was the first criminal case ever to be solved by a fingerprint identification and the use of fingerprinting as crime scene evidence
A FBI study indicated that since 1989, DNA evidence excluded the primary suspect in 25% of sexual assault cases. Sexual assault cases are of really high importance and happen worldwide, and DNA evidence makes it hard for the assaulter to deny his/her actions. This is due to the traceable DNA, a person would inject in his/her victim after sexual intercourse is conducted. DNA could be a revolutionary turning point in the world of crime solving, because of its durability in this world, which could last for decades, explaining many unsolved mysteries that occurred in the
In addition to this, biological evidence can be partial, which is a weakness when clearing suspects. “At times, DNA evidence has been misused or misunderstood, leading to miscarriages of justice” (Elster, 2017). When analyzing a partial DNA sample, there is a chance of it connecting an innocent person. For example, in 2011, Adam Scott’s DNA was linked to a sperm sample taken from a Manchester rape victim (Elster, 2017). Adam had never visited Manchester and was not convicted because non-DNA evidence relieved him (Elster, 2017).
A forensic test that was featured in the episode was the practice of fingerprinting and dusting for fingerprints at a crime scene. Fingerprinting has been used throughout human history as a means of solving crimes. One of the earliest examples of the use of fingerprinting in forensic science was during the Chinese Qin Dynasty, which recognized the importance of handprints as a form of evidence in investigating burglaries. The practice of fingerprinting in forensic science and crime scene investigation made significant progress in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when Thomas Taylor of the United States Department of Agriculture suggested in 1877 that bloody fingerprints could be used as evidence in crime scene investigations to determine
They will watch the CCTV or use the scientific evidence to identify criminals, such as DNA profiling and fingerprint profiling. Forensic scientists can use DNA at a crime scene to identify a matching DNA of an individual, such as a perpetrator. This process is formally termed DNA profiling, but may also be called "genetic fingerprinting". The development of forensic science and the ability to now obtain genetic matching on minute samples of blood, skin, saliva or hair has led to a re-examination of a number of cases. Also, human fingerprints are exhaustive, assumed to be nearly unique, hard to change and durable over the life of an individual, making them suitable as long-term markers of human identity.
There are many cases where recent DNA testing has exonerated innocent persons after many years. Errors in the initial investigation, lies, previous criminal history, age, and laboratory errors all have contributed to the wrongful