The Pros And Cons Of DNA Profiling

Improved Essays
Introduction
Several countries around the world maintain a database dedicated to storing DNA profiles of individuals. The primary purpose of a DNA database is to ease the identification process of suspects during criminal investigations. Despite the intention to do good, the concept of a DNA database is vulnerable to a number of complications and repercussions, affecting the government, general public and crime detectives.

Biological Significance
DNA Profiling is a forensic process utilised to identify individuals by the characteristics of their DNA. It differentiates from other forensic identification processes because it remains the same overtime, unlike fingerprints and has a higher accuracy than biometric iris scanners. The first methods used for DNA profiling for finding out genetics involved restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. The method involves DNA to be collected from cells and cut into small pieces using a restriction enzyme. This generates thousands of DNA fragments of differing sizes and then separated on the basis of size using gel electrophoresis. However, this technique is
…show more content…
The invasion of privacy and forced participation is associated with databases containing DNA profiles. There is an uncertainty of where the intimate information is stored and whether or not it gets used without permission. The information from a DNA profile could be utilised by stalkers in order to track individuals and their relatives through a form of biological tagging or ‘bio surveillance’. DNA of an individual is left everywhere, therefore it can be utilised in order to attempt to establish where they have been (Forensic Genetics Policy Initiative, 2016). Furthermore, health insurance companies may be able to access the confidential medical history of an individual by analysing their DNA profile in order to refuse

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Human DNA Fingerprinting

    • 1690 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The two major uses for the information is for personal identification and for the determination of paternity. DNA can be analyzed from a variety of human samples including blood, semen, saliva, urine, hair, buccal (cheek cells), tissues, or bones. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify the genomic DNA from a sample and electrophoresis is used to arrange the segment.…

    • 1690 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Eric Lander Case Summary

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Finally, human error and DNA contamination is a huge concern for ALL free individual’s DNA. Eric Lander in 1990 founded a new center for Genome research at Whitehead, as well as, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Eric Lander has been an expert advisor for the defense on many cases. From Lander’s first hand personal experiences as an expert witness on various court cases, he felt compelled to express his observations of the flaws with DNA fingerprinting identification. Lander’s stated, (1989)…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Prevent Wrongful Convictions in the United States Imagine spending 30 years in jail for doing nothing. It seems impossible, surely the justice system of the United States is better than that. For Lawrence McKinney, it is very possible. McKinney spend 31 years in jail, only receiving a 75 dollar check when he was released, after being proved innocent (Powell). Many more cases just like McKinney’s happen all the time.…

    • 1491 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Is this a new opportunity for identity theft? Is it ethical to have a database containing the general public's DNA? The Federal Bureau of Investigations claims that by creating and expanding a national DNA database reflects in lower crime rates across the country. On the other hand, a majority of individuals agrees that there should be regulations that structure a software containing a DNA database (Ross). Much like any field of technology ethical concerns continuously create opportunities to improve software in the medical field.…

    • 1275 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many convicts are not entered in the DNA database or are not able to be held in the database system. Some criminal's DNA may not be in the DNA database to match them to crimes with ("Hard time for the innocent" 3). This evidence suggests that the database could help in solving crimes if it was…

    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dna Ethics

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Ethics of DNA Testing for Identification Following Arrest Abstract Following the initial realization that DNA could have law enforcement applications there was a tremendous rush to make use of the technology. This implementation was uneven both in its application and its acceptance, largely depending on whether the Daubert or Frye standard of admissibility of evidence during trial is used. More recently focus has been on some probably unforeseen uses of DNA evidence.…

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Life Without Sequence On October 5th, 1984, the body of 15-year-old Kristina Hickey was found raped and stabbed behind a mall in Park Forest, Illinois. She had been missing for two days, having last been seen walking on her way home from choir practice. On January 15, 1987, Christopher Abernathy, who was seventeen at the time the murder was committed, was convicted of Hickey’s murder and sentenced to ‘Life’ in prison without the possibility of parole. Abernathy’s sole accuser was a high-school friend who claimed Abernathy had confessed to him, and a suspiciously obtained confession, by Abernathy, to the police.…

    • 1057 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Daniel Pinkins Case

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The first process developed was the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP) Method of DNA Profiling. RFLP required large quantities of intact DNA and was really only effective at showing that two samples were different, making its application limited. Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Typing replaced RFLP by making use of the highly unique variable number of tandem repeat sequences in the human genome to differentiate DNA samples. If biological evidence is only found it trace amounts, STR can also use a sample increased by Polymerase Chain Reaction…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    DNA In Forensics

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Based on the existence of biological evidence, DNA tests is vital in ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and accurate (justice.gov, 2014). DNA in Forensics can be used to identify criminals in cases where the suspect is known and also in cases where the suspect is not known. For example, DNA sample from a suspect who has been arrested can be directly compared with DNA sample from the crime scene; on the other hand, DNA samples from the crime scene can be matched with DNA samples archived from other crime sense and already prosecuted cases. Although the DNA collection and analysis system needs great improvement, the system has been used successfully used to prevent the most heinous and violent crimes form taking place and has also helped convict most dangerous criminals involved in a series of different crimes (justice.gov, 2014). In cases of aggravated assaults, the use of DNA in forensics has helped provide evidence for most cases that had no witness available.…

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The collecting of DNA creates a society where the government knows all about you or an Orwellian society. The collecting of your DNA as already started with companies like 23andMe and Ancestry, which sell your DNA to research companies. Once you sign up for that DNA test you give up the right of your DNA or as Ancestry says “you grant AncestryDNA and the Ancestry Group Companies a royalty-free, worldwide, sublicensable, transferable license to host, transfer, process, analyze, distribute”, so that means Ancestry can do anything they want with your DNA. Starting in 2008 all American babies…

    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dna Testing Book Report

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages

    With this information in mind, the second section of my critique will convey my personal opinions as well as my thoughts and response to the book. My conception of this novel brought me to disbelief that a system I trust and look to for justification is horrendously defective. The authors accomplished the goal of expressing their theory credit to the use of real stories that the authors had the contingency to be involved in. My reflection situated on this book broadens my perspective on injustice that takes place in the criminal justice system. Equally important, DNA testing has impacted the system with such high regards that I am puzzled to wonder why they have not relied on DNA testing more.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The impact that this still relatively new discovery/invention has had upon the investigation of crime in today’s society is huge. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Blooding’ by Joseph Wambaugh not only because it provides a great example of the first success in the investigation of crime using DNA but because I feel a great deal of pride that it happened in England. Also, I feel that it is an excellent example of individual police officers’ dedication and the ‘extra miles’ that they were prepared to take to catch the offender.…

    • 627 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Forensic DNA is the process of using and collecting DNA from crime scenes to solve criminal investigations and to ensure accuracy and fairness in the Criminal Justice System. DNA profiling has grown significantly in the past years and has been extremely useful in identifying suspects, criminals and other people involved in the crime. If the suspect is unidentifiable, DNA evidence is compared to a DNA database to identify the criminal. DNA testing has both advantages and disadvantages many of which relate to ethical, emotional, economic and practicality issues. Research states that an increasing number of criminal investigations have used DNA testing to successfully identify the perpetrator.…

    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Gene Polymorphism Lab Report

    • 2287 Words
    • 10 Pages

    RFLP was then conducted by first purifying PCR B using the QiaQuick PCR Purification Kit. Using Table 2, all reagents for both tubes can be detailed. Cut Smart ® Buffer restriction enzymes (MseI and RsaI) were then used on our left-over purified amplicons of PCR B to make fragment patterns which could then be compared to colleagues’ genomic ancestry. Before use, all restriction enzymes were incubated overnight at 37 ˚C because this is their optimal temperature. All gels were analyzed using bio spectrum imaging.…

    • 2287 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Sample contamination can be prevented by wearing gloves, using proper pipetting technique to prevent contamination of the pipette and changing tips after each use. The fact that the CKD3 had two visible bands are important because this accepts the hypothesis that SNP exists in the DNA sample. If SNP existed in the sample, then the DNA sequence was not cleaved because the restriction enzyme HpaII would not be able to recognize the base pair change and cleave the sequence. Single nucleotide polymorphism have become increasing important today to…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays