Use of DNA in Criminal Investigations - Assignment Example

Heading: Use of DNA in Criminal Investigations Your name Course name Professors’ name Date: Outline 1) Introduction. 2) Literature Review. 3) Research Question. 4) Three life cases of DNA analysis intervention. 5) Conclusion. Introduction The use of DNA in criminal investigations is a relatively new concept which has flourished in the last two decades in collecting evidence for criminal justice. It has been applied in many criminal investigations and has been proven to have incredibly accuracy in providing answers to criminal cases that have puzzled criminal investigators due to lack of evidence. This topic seeks to look critically at the relevance of DNA in solving crime mysteries, how appropriate the method should be applied and the role played by this technology in providing justice and fairness in criminal cases. The technology is generally applied in two major ways; when a suspect criminal is identified, DNA technology can compare the evidence of crime along with the suspect`s DNA and the results help to prove whether the person committed the crime or not. On the other hand in a case where a crime has been committed and the suspect scope is still large, the technology will compare the DNA of the evidence with other profiles which will provide the lead on who the suspect might be and help to bring the person to justice. This study seeks to look deeper into role that the new technology has brought in criminal investigations and how it differs with traditional methods that have been used in the past. It will also focus on other aspects of DNA that are used as evidence, for instance fingerprints and the use of forensic evidence in solving crime. Focus will also be put on cases where DNA has failed to solve criminal cases and the challenges faced by forensic scientists using this method. This study will also look at the process of DNA profiling, how it is conducted by linking genetic relationship to crime investigation and the considerations taken when examining evidence from the DNA by the crime investigators. Literature Review A wide research has been conducted concerning implementation of DNA in solving criminal activities and millions of dollars have been spent by governments to improve DNA technology. There are many challenges faced in adopting and implementing this technology. The biggest challenge faced by forensic scientists is that a lot of DNA samples found in crime scenes are still in the hands of investigators and have not yet been analyzed (Vermeulen 2002). The low number of forensic scientists and investigators explains the big gap that exists between the evidence collected and the actual criminal cases solved. Few forensic laboratories have increased the amount time taken to resolve criminal investigations making them unreliable. A recent study carried out in public forensic laboratories of the United States found that caseworks in the laboratories have doubled in every three years and many are not analyzed due to inadequate evidence linked to the particular crime that is under investigation (Butler 2009). This is common in cases of rape and murder which heavily rely on forensic tests to give clear evidence on the crimes and it has been proven that currently, forensic laboratories do not have the capacity to analyze DNA evidence in time. According to Bulter (2009) it is clear that forensic laboratories need significant support to improve the infrastructure and expand the storage capacity for forensic evidence. Public laboratories need important supplies and equipment to carry out the essential DNA analysis (Lazer 2004). The labs ought to have the necessary tools to streamline the procedures of data collection and should adopt automated systems which increase accuracy and minimize the risk of tampering with evidence. In alignment with these necessities, it is necessary to incorporate proper management system designed to handle evidence and ensure they are in the right custody. This will increase efficiency and improve the integrity and quality of the investigations. Forensic labs should be expanded to accommodate the storage of forensic data which makes it easy for criminal investigators to access evidence whenever they need it (Wingate 2002) .This means that it is necessary to improve the security and environmental regulatory systems that ensure the labs maintain the capacity to store evidence. Research Question Why is the use of DNA important in criminal investigations? Despite the short comings, DNA analysis remains an important part of criminal investigations and has helped in solving multiple cases that have puzzled investigators due to lack of evidence (Newton 2008). DNA technology has helped in targeting career criminals because of their tendency to move around, for instance a city rapist in Canberra used to prey on young girls and then extended his habits in another State. The DNA evidence was the only link that helped to capture the culprit and this proves the importance of this technology in solving criminal incidents that shift with locality. In other cases, DNA has proved to be vital in solving cases where people who are innocent have been convicted for crimes they had nothing to do with. Some of these cases take years to solve but because of DNA technology, a single hair root, blood sample or body fluids can help in restoring justice to victims of false arrest making it one of the most useful techniques of solving criminal cases today (Seigel 2008).The technology is also very important for the judiciary which has helped courts to give fair judgments based on credible evidence provided by the use of DNA and has hence improved the integrity and trust in the legal system by the wider public. Life cases of DNA analysis interventions Case one involved a lady called Mia Zapata who was born and raised in Kentucky and attended college at Antioch where she studied liberal arts. In July 7th, 1993 Zapata passed by a recording studio at 2:00 o’clock before she briefly visited her friend who lived on the second floor of the same apartment. Unfortunately, this was the last time she was seen alive as she was cruelly raped and killed as she was on foot along the boulevard. It was supposed that she was on her radio when her murderer approached her without her awareness of the impending danger. Witnesses found her body lying in the street with her hands stretched out and gave initial indications that a cult was responsible for her death. Medical examiners however believe she was strangled and probably died from internal injuries brought about by beatings. Zapata was buried that same week but the investigations into the murder continued and in 2003, DNA profile was extracted from saliva found in the victim`s body which helped to identify the perpetrator. A fisherman called Jesus Mezquia was positively identified to be matching the DNA of the evidence and incidentally, had history of violence towards women and domestic abuse. A jury found him guilty of murder and rape and he was sentenced to 36 years in prison. The use of DNA proved to be vital in determining the outcome of this case and helped to serve justice for the family and friends of the victim. Case two involved a man named Timothy Wilson Spencer who was known as a Southside strangler. He made history by becoming the first person to be convicted in Virginia as a result of evidence based on DNA. In 1987, he was accused of raping and strangling Debbie Dudley Davis a 35 year old woman in her apartment where she was found dead lying naked on the bed. Two weeks later, Spencer struck again, this time the victim was Dr Susan Hellems who was murdered and she too was found partially naked, raped and strangled. In November the same year a young student was found dead at Richmond and she was also strangled and raped. The following year Spencer was seized and sentenced of murder and rape. The DNA of her most recent victim helped criminal investigators to bring him to book. Case three involves Douglas Echols who was convicted for raping a young woman called Danna Givens who later accused Echols of forcing her into a house and raping her. Echols received a 15 year sentence for rape, kidnapping and murder. In 2002, DNA testing proved that he was not the person involved in the rape of Danna Givens hence Echols was wrongly accused. After being cleared of all charges, he was released from prison after serving his sentence for five years. On top of this, Douglas was awarded 1.6 Million dollars for compensation. Conclusion The use of DNA technology is a very expensive method used in criminal investigations. Over one billion dollars has been used in the United States alone in building capacity and using the technology in solving criminal activities and protecting the innocent. Despite being expensive, DNA technology has proved to be most reliable in solving criminal cases with incredible accuracy, for instance in Kansas State, over one million dollars was allocated to criminal investigators and the funding helped in solving of over twenty murder cases and multiple cases of rape. This proves how valuable the DNA technology is in solving crime mysteries. References Butler, JM 2009, Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing Academic Press, Sarasota. Lazer, D 2004, DNA and the criminal justice system: The technologies of justice, MIT press Boston Ma. Newton, D 2008, DNA Evidence and Forensic Science, Infobase Publishing, Sanfransisco. Siegel, LJ 2008, Essentials of Criminal Justice, Cengage Learning New York. Vermeulen, G & Dormaels, A 2002, European data collection on sexual offences against minors, Maklu, Lyon. Wingate, A 2002, Crime Scene, Prentice Hall, London. . Read More