Investigating Dna And Blood

Bloodstains provide clues as to how a crime had been committed. When a speck of blood falls on a surface, it leaves a shape and stain. This is called bloodstain evidence. Each individual carries DNA that is unique to him or her, except for identical twins. With the help of bloodstains and saliva, as well as fingernails, an investigator can recover enough evidence to confirm whether a defendant is guilty or innocent of a crime. This book includes sidebars that further expand on the topic, as well as a further reading list and career information for readers interested in this intriguing STEM field.

Uses case studies to examine how investigators collect genetic evidence and discusses how DNA has altered crime-solving and the court system as well as the ethical ramifications of cloning, genetic modification, and the death penalty.

Matching DNA samples from crime scenes and suspects is rapidly becoming a key source of evidence for use in our justice system. DNA Technology in Forensic Science offers recommendations for resolving crucial questions that are emerging as DNA typing becomes more widespread. The volume addresses key issues: Quality and reliability in DNA typing, including the introduction of new technologies, problems of standardization, and approaches to certification. DNA typing in the courtroom, including issues of population genetics, levels of understanding among judges and juries, and admissibility. Societal issues, such as privacy of DNA data, storage of samples and data, and the rights of defendants to quality testing technology. Combining this original volume with the new update-The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence-provides the complete, up-to-date picture of this highly important and visible topic. This volume offers important guidance to anyone working with this emerging law enforcement tool: policymakers, specialists in criminal law, forensic scientists, geneticists, researchers, faculty, and students.

Bloodstains provide clues as to how a crime had been committed. When a speck of blood falls on a surface, it leaves a shape and stain. This is called bloodstain evidence. Each individual carries DNA that is unique to him or her, except for identical twins. With the help of bloodstains and saliva, as well as fingernails, an investigator can recover enough evidence to confirm whether a defendant is guilty or innocent of a crime. This book includes sidebars that further expand on the topic, as well as a further reading list and career information for readers interested in this intriguing STEM field.

In 1992 the National Research Council issued DNA Technology in Forensic Science, a book that documented the state of the art in this emerging field. Recently, this volume was brought to worldwide attention in the murder trial of celebrity O. J. Simpson. The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence reports on developments in population genetics and statistics since the original volume was published. The committee comments on statements in the original book that proved controversial or that have been misapplied in the courts. This volume offers recommendations for handling DNA samples, performing calculations, and other aspects of using DNA as a forensic toolâ€"modifying some recommendations presented in the 1992 volume. The update addresses two major areas: Determination of DNA profiles. The committee considers how laboratory errors (particularly false matches) can arise, how errors might be reduced, and how to take into account the fact that the error rate can never be reduced to zero. Interpretation of a finding that the DNA profile of a suspect or victim matches the evidence DNA. The committee addresses controversies in population genetics, exploring the problems that arise from the mixture of groups and subgroups in the American population and how this substructure can be accounted for in calculating frequencies. This volume examines statistical issues in interpreting frequencies as probabilities, including adjustments when a suspect is found through a database search. The committee includes a detailed discussion of what its recommendations would mean in the courtroom, with numerous case citations. By resolving several remaining issues in the evaluation of this increasingly important area of forensic evidence, this technical update will be important to forensic scientists and population geneticistsâ€"and helpful to attorneys, judges, and others who need to understand DNA and the law. Anyone working in laboratories and in the courts or anyone studying this issue should own this book.

A startling look at how breakthroughs in DNA testing are having a tumultuous impact on criminal investigations. Written specifically for a lay audience, "Blood Evidence" is the first trade book to explore the complexities of DNA testing and the effect it has had on justice systems worldwide.

Introduces the fascinating world of DNA analysis.

Raising hopes for disease treatment and prevention, but also the specter of discrimination and "designer genes," genetic testing is potentially one of the most socially explosive developments of our time. This book presents a current assessment of this rapidly evolving field, offering principles for actions and research and recommendations on key issues in genetic testing and screening. Advantages of early genetic knowledge are balanced with issues associated with such knowledge: availability of treatment, privacy and discrimination, personal decision-making, public health objectives, cost, and more. Among the important issues covered: Quality control in genetic testing. Appropriate roles for public agencies, private health practitioners, and laboratories. Value-neutral education and counseling for persons considering testing. Use of test results in insurance, employment, and other settings.

DNA is a powerful law enforcement tool that is used to solve a wide variety of crimes. Through objective overviews, primary sources, and full-color illustrations this title examines, How Conclusive Is DNA Evidence in Solving Crimes? How Effective Is DNA Testing for Correcting Justice System Errors? Should Prisoners Have a Right to DNA Testing? and Do Law Enforcement DNA Databases Threaten Civil Liberties?

Two leading authors on medical ethics, science policy, and civil liberties take a hard look at how the United States has balanced the use of DNA technology, particularly the use of DNA databanks in criminal justice, with the privacy rights of its citizenry. The authors explore many controversial topics, including the legal precedent for taking DNA from juveniles, the search for possible family members of suspects in DNA databases, the launch of "DNA dragnets" among local populations, and the warrantless acquisition by police of so-called abandoned DNA in the search for suspects. Most intriguing, they explode the myth that DNA profiling is infallible, which has profound implications for criminal justice.