How has DNA technology been used to change the face of crime scene investigation? Why do you think it might not be utilized as much as it could be?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

DNA profiling can be an incredibly effective tool because a DNA match indicates a four-billion-to-one likelihood that the suspect is the offender. In these cases, it is much easier to be certain that law enforcement has apprehended the right person and that innocent people are not going to prison. Nearly every US state now maintains a DNA database of convicted offenders. These databases can compare crime scene DNA to samples taken at other crime scenes and to known offenders. This allows police to potentially apprehend serial offenders and to find suspects they might not be able to without DNA technology. The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is a database that has assisted in nearly 50,000 investigations. It allows DNA taken at a crime scene to be searched electronically to find matches against samples taken from convicted offenders and other crime scenes. It also provides profiles of individuals convicted of crimes. However, despite these advantages, DNA is not used as often as it could be. A significant number of unsolved homicides and rapes with forensic evidence have not been submitted to laboratories for analysis. This could be a result of underfunded departments and a lack of resources to process all the evidence. Furthermore, it seems that the complexities involved in forensics like DNA sometimes confuse jurors. A prosecutor might decide to leave DNA evidence out of a trial if he or she is concerned it will confuse the jury and weaken their argument.