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