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Regulating DNA Evidence

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the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to intervene…It was able to ‘unofficially’ regulate DNA analysis and force ‘private companies to adopt its technological system’” (Edmond 130). These debates in the courtroom have led to regulations that are in place to ensure the proper gathering and testing of DNA evidence so that only accurate evidence is admitted in court. Suspects have a right to a fair trial and following the DNA wars, fair trials include correct evidence to be presented otherwise they may be acquitted or a mistrial may be declared. One of the factors to ensuring correct evidence is a process known as the chain of custody. The chain of custody, if followed properly, keeps track of continuity of possession. Evidence must be correctly …show more content…
The juror recalled that Lee had said that ‘There is something wrong here’, when referring to the prosecution’s DNA evidence. Cryer continued that Lee ‘had a lot of impact on a lot of people. A lot of people were in agreement that there was something wrong’ with the prosecution’s case. At least as far as this juror was concerned, the relevant lesson was not that the controversy about DNA evidence was irrelevant to the verdict, but that credible experts had created reasonable doubt about its reliability” (Lynch and Jasanoff …show more content…
When Sir Alec Jeffreys and his team first dreamed of a list of ways their invention of genetic fingerprinting can help science, it was merely a dream. However, as time has gone on and technology has evolved enough for those dreams of his to become a reality. DNA technology now has the ability to isolate genes to determine ancestry, race, ethnicity, and even eye color. DNA testing has become so popular that DNA testing kits are commonly available in drug stores where a person can send in a DNA sample to the company and they send back the results. It is even becoming possible to establish a profile without a control sample (Wheaton). With the ability to determine ethnicity and ancestry, scientists may even one day be able to prove evolution through a genetic code. Sir Alec Jeffreys, since his discovery, has been asked to help determine whether or not twins are identical, paternity, and to examine the way DNA crosses over during replication & the way it mutates. Besides making advances on human DNA, technology is available to study both plant and animal DNA as well (Wheaton). There are endless opportunities to continue to expand the uses of DNA technology even more than what has already been

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