Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
¶ … National Institute of Justice claims that DNA is "not used to its full potential in the criminal justice system," partly due to the lack of capacity of current laboratories (p. 1). Scores of cases are on hold because of delays and backlogs in testing, even when DNA samples have been collected from crime scenes and suspects. There is also a dire lack of trained personnel who are qualified to analyze the samples, and no concerted effort to improve criminal justice and forensics training in DNA analysis. Budgetary constraints are, on the whole, the root cause of many of the problems hampering efforts to use DNA to its full advantage and ensure a more efficient and effective criminal justice system.
I do believe that DNA testing should ideally be mandatory in cases in which DNA evidence was collected, in order to reduce numbers of wrongful convictions and to positively identify suspects in a clear, unequivocal way. As long as the DNA testing procedures are carefully monitored to eliminate error, it is foreseeable that current backlogs can be reduced.
All the NIJ recommendations work together, so it is impossible to choose only one that I would emphasize, but the first recommendation of how to improve current laboratory facilities is the focal point. An injection...
The fourth recommendation, which is to support training and education for forensic scientists, is ultimately the most important one because no amount of laboratory space can make up for staffing shortages. Training personnel effectively and ensuring that DNA tests are accurate and reliable is crucial to the criminal justice system.
The fact that DNA evidence sits on police shelves has become common knowledge, as it has been reported in the mainstream news as well as in criminal justice professional circles (Oberg & Seibert, 2015). Delays are leading not only to wrongful convictions but also to crimes committed by suspects who have yet to be apprehended. These violent crimes could be prevented by more efficient use of criminal justice resources. Those resources can be diverted from the war on drugs to a bolstering of forensic science programs and infrastructure focused on reducing or eliminating DNA testing backlogs.
References
Oberg, T. & Seibert, T. (2015). Delayed DNA testing allowed alleged rapists to commit new crimes. ABC News. Retrieved online: http://abc13.com/news/while-the-dna-sat-alleged-rapists-did-not-/496780/
United States Department of Justice (2003). Report to the Attorney General on delays in forensic DNA analysis. Retrieved online: https://www.victimsofcrime.org/docs/dna-resource-center-documents/report-to-the-attorney-general-on-delays-in-forensic-dna-analysis-(2011).pdf?sfvrsn=6
" Giannelli (2003) stresses that advantages and reliability of scientific and technical evidence depend on whether a scientific culture exists. For reliability of DNA and other scientific evidence, there have to be sufficient written protocols and "an empirical basis for the most basic procedures." (Giannelli, 2003) Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and Jim Dwyer (cited by Giannelli, 2003) conclude that their investigations revealed that a third of the criminal convictions of 62
DNA technology and how it has impacted the American criminal justice system. The research was conducted utilizing secondary resources, such as testimonies from DNA experts and published resources. It was discovered that, despite challenges faced by the technology, DNA has positively affected the criminal justice system by allowing for the successful capture and prosecution of criminals, as well as exonerating those who were wrongly imprisoned. PREFACE STATEMENT Overview of DNA DNA as
Forensic Science: Its Relevance Within the Criminal Justice System Forensic science has, since its inception, had an impact on a number of fields, including education, health, law enforcement (the criminal justice system), to name but a few. Of these, the criminal justice system can be rightly considered the greatest beneficiary of forensic science (Fantino, 2007). Thanks to technological advancement and increased public awareness, all aspects of the justice system today including
DNA in Criminal Cases - Solving Cold Cases in California with Forensic Science This research will attempt to analyze and discuss the feasibility of DNA testing in solving cold cases and will study the impact that DNA fingerprinting has had on the forensic science community as a whole. DNA is generally used to solve crimes in one of two ways. In cases where a suspect is identified, a sample of that person's
CODIS links together local, State, and Federal DNA databases to one another, allowing law enforcement to compare crime scene and perpetrator information not only on a local level, but on a national level (FBI, 2000). Since many criminal activities are done by repeat offenders, this can assist law enforcement in determining possible suspects, even if those suspects live in States other than their own (NIJ, 2002). While useful tools, these databases
DNA in Trials The use of DNA in solving crimes has become widely accepted. DNA is now routinely presented in courts as evidence. DNA evidence had helped to identify crime victims and has helped put criminals behind bars. Additionally, DNA is now helping lawyers in defending innocent clients. In many cases, DNA tests have proven the innocence of many prisoners who have been in jail for years. This includes prisoners who