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Modern technology has significantly influenced various spheres of life, and forensic science is among them. Now, it is possible to use different kinds of genetic materials to identify some information that was impossible to extract a few years ago. Genomic findings are useful to detect suspects in existing databases, and a single drop of blood can be sufficient to identify a criminal’s physical characteristics. Even though these new possibilities have the potential to result in a better law enforcement system, they have provoked some issues. They include utilizing genetic material of dead individuals with or without consent of their relatives, questioning the reliability of applying genomics, and addressing ethical challenges. That is why the use of modern technology in DNA and genealogy is debatable. However, the given paper is going to show that any ethical, legal, and privacy issues are outweighed by the effectiveness of DNA and genealogy in solving cold cases.
To begin with, one should explain what forensic genomics is and how it works. According to Scudder et al., forensic DNA analysis initially looked for exact matches between the found samples and suspects or information in police databases (195). Thus, it was almost impossible to find a criminal if there was little evidence. However, forensic genomics can be useful in such cases because it draws attention to informative genetic markers that are present in DNA. It refers to surfing publicly available genetic databases to identify partial matches between a questioned DNA sample and an individual. This partial match can lead police officers to a criminal who is a relative of this individual. Furthermore, these data can indicate that a questioned DNA sample belongs to a suspect’s relative. Also known as familial DNA searching, the given approach is useful in solving cold cases, and the picture by Scudder et al. reveals how familial searching works (198).
As has been mentioned above, the use of modern technology in DNA and genealogy is doubtful. It is so because this approach gives rise to a few potential problems that can discredit its positive outcomes. That is why the given part of the paper will comment on ethical, legal, and privacy issues that question the necessity and justifiability to allow law enforcement agencies to rely on genomics.
It is possible to state that DNA testing evokes significant ethical challenges. On the one hand, forensic scientists examine samples of both dead and alive persons, and a crime scene may have genetic materials of a victim, a criminal, and other people. According to Garcia and Urbany, people leave their DNA everywhere they go, and police officers should define their identities to either exclude from or include in a suspect list. In this case, genetic testing can identify that a person has some health issues, and ethical concerns arise because this information can be subject to unintended exposure (Scudder et al, p. 199).
On the other hand, the use of genomics can reveal the fact that some individuals are more subject to committing a crime. It is so because specific kinds of biogeographical ancestry or the presence of some genetic markers can be more typical among offenders (Scudder et al, p. 199). If this information is available for the public, racial issues will be more likely to emerge. Consequently, the information above denotes that a search for a criminal often addresses some moral aspects that should not be revealed to avoid potential problems.
In addition to ethicality, it is rational to draw attention to the reliability and legality of applying genomics to bring an accusation. Firstly, DNA testing can identify partial matches with a family tree, a member of which, for example, is living abroad (Scudder et al, p. 204). Even though not being in the United States when a crime was committed is an indisputable alibi, adverse consequences arise if a person is mentioned in the investigation. Similar to bad credit history, this record can create some problems when this individual applies for a visa to travel to the US. Thus, this information should be classified to prevent legal challenges from occurring.
Secondly, one should comment on whether it is reasonable to rely on genomics when deriving conclusive claims. It relates to the fact that false-positive results sometimes happen (Ortyl, p. 430). It is so because familial DNA searching often relies on partial matches that are not always sufficient to reveal actual criminals. It is necessary to take a sample of a suspected individual’s DNA to check whether this person has committed the crime. However, when a family tree includes dozens of people, this procedure seems expensive and energy-intense. Even though false positives are relatively seldom, their presence questions the reliability of the approach under consideration (Ortyl, p. 430).
In addition to that, privacy concerns occupy an essential position in the criticism of applying genomics in forensic science. On the one hand, it is not always possible to obtain consent from the relatives of dead individuals to use genetic materials of the latter. If permission is not received, the following testing is not ethical. On the other hand, when people submit their DNA materials to third-party testing companies or websites to inquire about their origin and ancestors, they do not think that police will use their information (Ortyl, p. 430). At the same time, those people who accidentally left their DNA at a crime scene did not give consent to be subject to genetic testing (Garcia and Urbany). Consequently, their consent is not explicit, which results in challenges.
The issues above are essential, and they make people ask questions of whether it is reasonable to use modern technology in DNA and genealogy. However, there is much evidence that justifies the application of the given approach, and it mainly refers to dealing with complicated situations. That is why the given section is going to explain how the use of genomics can make a difference when it comes to solving cold cases.
Thus, it is rational to start with commenting on the most famous cases that have been solved with the help of the approach under consideration. Firstly, it refers to Joseph James DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer, who was arrested in 2018 for the crimes that he had committed in the 1970s and 1980s (Scudder et al , p. 203). Police officers used genetic material of the suspect to compare it to publicly available family trees and identify the offender with the help of genealogy websites. Secondly, the same approach was utilized to find the Grim Sleeper in 2011 (Ortyl 429). Thirdly, law enforcement agencies also applied modern technology to solve the BuckSkin Girl case. In 1981, a young woman’s body was identified, but it was not until 2018 when police officers managed to determine the victim’s identity (Scudder et al, p. 203). The successful result was obtained with the help of a process of forensic genetic genealogy.
Furthermore, it is rational to comment on the possibilities that are available when it comes to solving cold cases with the help of modern technology. It relates to DNA phenotyping that uses little genetic material to identify suspects. Even though this service is expensive and costs $3,000, it has proved its effectiveness in more than 40 cases (Garcia and Urbany). This approach uses a single drop of blood to find out the eye and hair color of a person, and when used together with surfing public databases, the opportunity of finding an offender increases. This technology also implies some limitations, including the fact that it is impossible to identify an individual’s age with the help of DNA phenotyping (Garcia and Urbany). Consequently, law enforcement cannot use this information to derive conclusive claims. Nevertheless, this approach acts as a composite facial image and provides police officers with useful assistance in identifying the criminal on the wanted list.
The information above has presented the examples of DNA and genealogy testing procedures that have already proved their effectiveness. However, when one discusses the use of modern technology in solving cold cases, it is also reasonable to consider future opportunities. It refers to innovative technologies that have been announced this year. According to DNA Labs International, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) tests are going to improve the outcomes of forensic science.
Traditionally, forensic scientists analyze DNA samples and try to identify matches within the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) that contains identities of offenders (Ortyl 427). If this search does not yield any results and there is no potential suspect, such a case is more likely to become a cold one. However, NGS and SNP testing are going to solve this problem. It relates to the fact that the two technologies allow forensic scientists to extract information from bones or degraded DNA (DNA Labs International). Once this information is identified, it is possible to use DNA testing to find phenotypic markers and deal with familial DNA searching to look for the criminal’s relatives. Consequently, the probability of solving even the most complicated cold cases increases with the help of NGS and SNP testing.
The information above means that DNA testing and familial searching result in essential benefits for the whole society. Firstly, these procedures allow law enforcement agencies to find the most dangerous criminals and send them to prison. Now, it is possible to solve the cold cases that are more than 40 years old. Secondly, these approaches have the potential to make the world better and safer. Finally, victims are satisfied because they see that justice has been met.
It is sad to say that cold cases are an integral component of any law enforcement system. It sometimes happens that police officers and forensic scientists do not have sufficient evidence to identify a victim, a criminal, or both. In such cases, it is reasonable to use modern technology to address this problem. It refers to genomics and familial searching to find an offender. These approaches predict phenotypic markers of an individual and rely on surfing publicly available databases to identify family trees with partial matches. Here, significant challenges arise because these ways of solving crimes address ethical, legal, and privacy issues.
Firstly, the application of genomics and public declaration of the results can reveal that some characteristic features are typical for criminals, which can lead to manifestations of racism. Secondly, DNA matching is not an error-free method because it can sometimes generate false-positive results. Thirdly, familial searching addresses numerous privacy issues because individuals or relatives of victims do not usually give their informed consent to be subject to genetic testing.
Irrespective of these concerns, modern technology in DNA and genealogy is useful because it has proved its effectiveness. On the one hand, the given approach has already helped find the criminals in the famous cold cases, including the Golden State Killer and Grim Sleeper ones. On the other hand, future development of technology promises to offer assistance in solving cases with degraded DNA. Consequently, it is rational to neglect the issues above to find the most dangerous criminals and protect society at the expense of an individual’s confidentiality.
Works Cited
- DNA Labs International. “DNA Labs International Introduces New Technology Around the Corner to Help Solve More Genealogy Cases than Ever Before.” PR Newswire, 2020, Web.
- Garcia, Ahiza, and Bruce Urbany. “This DNA Technology Is Helping Police Solve Cold Cases.” CNN Business, 2018.
- Ortyl, Elaine. “DNA and the Fourth Amendment: Would a Defendant Succeed on a Challenge to a Familial DNA Search?” American Journal of Law & Medicine, vol. 45, no. 4, 2019, pp. 421-442.
- Scudder, Nathan, et al. “Policy and Regulatory Implications of the New Frontier of Forensic Genomics: Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Data and Genealogy Records.” Current Issues in Criminal Justice, vol. 31, no. 2, 2019, pp. 194-216.
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