The DNA Connection: The Database Dilemma
Forensicmagazine has an excellent post by Chris Asplen, former Assistant U.S. Attorney and local prosecutor specializing in the prosecution of sex crime and child abuse. Asplen was also formerly the Executive Director of the National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence for the U.S. Department of Justice and Director of the DNA Unit for the National District Attorneys Association.
The post discusses not just the need for a database, for the need to exchange information, but also the need to do better. “The past several months have been full of contrasts and contradictions. We have seen fascinating cases solved illustrating the incredible effectiveness of forensic DNA technology.We have seen legal cases filed illustrating the fear of DNA’s expanded use.
Governments have announced intentions for national expansion and for the first time a government has announced it will reduce the scope of inclusion in its database.And, after years of legislative discussion and debate, we have seen some countries finally pass DNA legislation and begin to recognize its benefits while others continue to struggle with practical and political issues preventing the implementation of law enforcement’s most effective crime fighting tool.”
You can read in this post about DNA in the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, the UK and USA, here.
Categories: Forensics
Tags: Crime Labs, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence