| The introduction of genetic evidence into the | | | | when comparing known samples against unknown |
| courtroom is making justice more certain, for both the | | | | DNA fragments. |
| guilty and the innocent. | | | | The FBI is reported to test 13 different loci, which |
| Thanks to advancements in science and technology, | | | | minimizes the chance of matching an innocent suspect |
| law enforcement officials and prosecutors are relying | | | | by chance. |
| more and more on DNA evidence during criminal | | | | This misinterpretation of the statistical results in light of |
| investigations and trials of criminal cases in order to | | | | the case circumstances was revealed by British |
| prove with certainty that someone committed a crime. | | | | authorities only in January of 2000 when a law |
| But clerical errors in DNA handling and interpretation | | | | enforcement conference of DNA specialists |
| have caused the innocents to be convicted of crimes. | | | | worldwide meeting. |
| In 1999, a sample taken from a burglary scene had | | | | That was 6 months freedom of the innocently |
| matched to six loci on the DNA molecule of one of | | | | convicted that has been luckily cleared off from his |
| 700,000 persons in national database. The suspect had | | | | 'conviction'. |
| alibis and incapable to commit the crime and yet, he | | | | This month, Illinois fired its DNA lab, Fairfax |
| was wrongfully took in for imprisonment. The | | | | County-based Bode Technology, for failing to detect |
| reasoning was that his DNA pattern would occur only | | | | semen in 11 out of 51 rape cases. State police said the |
| once in 37 million individuals. | | | | errors had not wrongly freed or convicted anyone, but |
| Despite the statistical calculation of 1 in 37 million on six | | | | they said they would have to reanalyze evidence in |
| loci, however it does NOT mean that the six loci | | | | 1,200 rape cases. |
| cannot match more than one person in 37 million. | | | | At a July murder trial in Michigan, prosecutors |
| According to population geneticists, it is indeed possible | | | | acknowledged that a DNA test on evidence from |
| to have the six loci match in perhaps many dozens of | | | | 1969 matched someone who would have been 4 |
| individuals whose DNA is contained in a databank of | | | | years old at the time of the slaying and couldn't |
| 700,000. | | | | possibly have been involved. Additional tests led to a |
| The police in Great Britain maintain a DNA database | | | | second man, who was convicted. |
| that has grown from 470,000 potential suspects in | | | | DNA reliability has been lauded nationally as the most |
| 1998 to over 700,000 during 1999. The Forensic | | | | reliable evidence known. It is just miscalculation in a lot |
| Science Service manages the U.K. database. It is now | | | | of factors, which should not happen. |
| reported that ten loci will henceforth be used routinely | | | | |