What are the pros and cons DNA fingerprints?

Answer 1

DNA fingerprinting, based on highly variable repetitive DNA sequences called variable number tandem repeats (VNTR), is often used to identify individuals. The pros of DNA fingerprinting, also called DNA testing or DNA profiling, include the exoneration of many innocent people and the conviction the true culprits, especially in the field of forensics. In 1986, DNA fingerprinting was used for the first time in a criminal investigation, ultimately exonerating Richard Buckland who had admitted to the rape and murder of a teenager and implicating a British baker named Colin Pitchfork. However, a con of DNA profiling is that it is somewhat controversial in that some people think that it violates the right to privacy, especially as people have little control over what happens to the DNA afterward. They argue that their DNA may end up in a DNA bank and could lead to discrimination in genetic testing as mentioned above by Anne. In addition, although DNA profiling is generally viewed as incontrovertible, another con of DNA is that there are instances where DNA profiling has been tampered with in police investigations and implicated the wrong person. Other cons include the fact that identical twins have the same DNA and that test results are not always 100% clear. Although DNA fingerprinting does have some cons as it arouses controversies that remain to be solved, due to its pros such as exonerating innocent people and helping to find the real culprits, DNA fingerprinting can also have a very positive impact upon society.

Answer 2

-DNA can degrade over time

-Deciding whose fingerprints should be in the data bank

-identical twins have the same DNA

-contamination; police procedures where been messed up

-not convicted before; no fingerprint in the systems

-lab funding is very expensive; lab researchers could have around 40-60 cases to solve a day

-tests don't always come back clear

-racial profiling

-99% of DNA is identical to other people, however, .1% is unique, and that is what is used in the DNA testing. Scientist are forced to find that .1% to make the identification.

-Back-longs are unprotected DNA that has yet to be processed

-the odds the lawyers provide is very questionable in the court rooms

- the high costs of doing these tests limit the ones they can do.

-they do not test all 100,000 genes in the DNA only four or five fragments and in that case somebody could have similar DNA in that particular segment and put an innocent person in jail

-In Europe, your DNA is taken when you are charged/arrested, even if you aren't convicted, so this groups innocent people or people that have been convicted for smaller felonies with all other criminals. A quote supporting this is, "Sweeping up the innocent with the guilty does not help fight crime." (Anna Fairclough; the London-Based Rights Group)

-The DNA that was taken from people that were charged, not convicted, was linked to almost 14000 offenses by 8500 profiles