Term Papers on The Effects Of DNA Testing

Term Paper Title	The Effects Of DNA Testing
# of Words	1539
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	6.16

The Effects of DNA Testing

28 October 1998

     Every day some form of DNA testing takes place.  This form of testing involves only a small percentage of people around the world.  However, it usually affects them in a huge way.  DNA testing affects crime, the medical and science fields, and people in general.
     In recent years the effects of DNA testing in crime have been tremendous.  Foren-sics scientists have the ability to try and match blood from one crime scene or piece of evidence to another.  These tests and analysis, which are a favorite of the prosecution, are often used to link a suspect to a crime.  For example, Marsha Clark of the O.J. Simpson case prosecution team described a “trail of blood” pointing to Simpson’s guilt.  DNA tests were performed and bloodstains from Simpson’s Bronco matched Goldman’s blood, Simpson’s and Nicole Simpson’s.  The prosecution then nailed the defense with these results.  However, the reverse is also true.  When a suspects blood does not match up, then he or she is proven innocent (Childley 62 & 63).
     Considering that the odds of a sample of DNA being the same as another are about a billion to one, it is virtually impossible to fight the results (Childley 62).  Since July of 1997, eighty-six hits have been made by comparing the DNA of convicted killers and rapists with DNA evidence left at the scene of the crime (Hallifax B8).  Coinciden-tally, just before the Simpson verdict, DAN tests appeared to vindicate the late Dr. Sam Sheppard in the famed 1954 murder of his wife.  Many people were freed after

years in jail due to the innocence project pioneered by defense lawyer, Barry Scheck.  DNA evidence is playing a reluctant and accelerating role in the vital numbers of the in-nocent in jail or on death row (“Fugitive Justice” 4).
     DNA testing has also been a big effector in the medical and science fields.  A vi-tal gene called p53 was detected by DNA testing.  If this gene is not present or damaged in any way, cancerous diseases will turn malignant.  Alterations of p53 seem to be in-volved in the majority of human cancers.  Another way the medical and science fields are affected is the use of gene history.  The history of genes in certain individual’s body can be used to precisely predict a certain genes outline in his or her offspring (Rogers 42).
     In addition, diseases can be diagnosed due to DNA testing.  For instance, eighty percent of colon cancers involve p53.  Without testing, this fact would have never been brought to the attention of researchers (Rogers 42).
     Finally, DNA testing affects people.  The identification of people is largely af-fected by DNA testing.  For example, when scientists from Oxford University took DNA swabs from a teacher and his students in Cheddar, England, he was found to be a descen-dant of a 90–centuries–old caveman (“Bone Vivant” 114).
     Furthermore, DNA testing brings controversy among people.  For instance, When a man had a test done to prove his daughter was really his daughter, peoples’ opinions began to stir.  The man got the idea from a controversial billboard stating “Who’s the fa-ther?  Call 1-800-DNA-TYPE.” In Kansas City, Missouri.  “It’s tragic that we’ve come to this level of immorality in our society,” says the Reverend Carl Herbster of Tri-City Ministries (Bradley A5).


     The Justice Department was forced by the depth of a scandal to admit fault just before Timothy McVeigh’s trial, in which FBI processed evidence is expected to play a big role.  Scandal is not new to crime labs which are said to be underfunded and unsuper-vised.  For example, Forensics scientist  Fred Zain was charged with sending innocent men to jail in Texas and West Virginia.  Zain was said to of fabricated test data in several cases which he gave results or testified.  It has been said that scientific justice, like any other kind, requires quality layering.  In November of 1996 the Supreme Court approved the execution of Joseph Payne of Virginia despite towering evidence of his innocence.  This evidence was so overwhelming that just prior to his sch...

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