Dna Evidence And The Justice System - 1224 Words

Considered one of the most reliable forms of evidence, in many criminal cases in DNA evidence. Since the 1980s, DNA analysis has continued to make steady progress as an adjunct to police investigations. DNA can be collected from blood, hair, skin cells, and other bodily substances. Similar to fingerprints, each individual has a unique DNA profile, but unlike that of fingerprints, only a miniscule amount of genetic material is needed to identify or eliminate suspects. However, the reliability and accuracy of the use of DNA evidence in criminal trials in Australia is constantly being challenged. It raises the question as to whether or not the justice system has been placing too much faith in DNA evidence. Although it has the power to put criminals behind bars, over confidence and careless mistakes in the use of DNA evidence can lead to miscarriages of justice. There have been many criminal cases across Australia where DNA evidence has been used to â€Å"convict the guilty and clear the innocent†. This successful use of DNA evidence is seen in the Frank Alan Button case. Frank Button was convicted of raping a 13-year old girl by a jury in August 1999. Initially, the girl denied knowing the rapist and provided a description of the man to the police. She then, altered her original statement and identified Frank Alan Button as her rapist. During the trial, no DNA evidence was used. A rape kit was prepared and intimate swabs were obtained from the victim. These tests revealed theShow MoreRelatedJustice Systems And The Justice System Of Other Nations1732 Words   |  7 Pageswill be discussed concerning our justice system and the justice system of other nations. Contrarily there are varying types of courts all throughout these other nations as well. Similarly, all nations have criminal sanctions, sentencing practices, and types of punish ment, death penalties, and imprisonments. The question I present is what about all those who have been unlawfully convicted, sentenced and then later on exonerated centered upon DNA or whatsoever evidence available? What about the manyRead MoreThe American Court System And Dna1014 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Court System and DNA Will the use of forensic DNA in the courts be the equalizer for the wrongly convicted? Per the National Registry of Exonerations, there have been 1,916 exonerations in the United States since 1989 (â€Å"National Registry of Exonerations,† n.d.). Barry Scheck and The Innocence Project have been instrumental in facilitating the exoneration process by presenting forensic DNA evidence to American courtrooms. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary materialRead MoreEssay on DNA in the Forensic Science Community1500 Words   |  6 Pagesacid (DNA) collection and its relationship to solving crimes. The collection of DNA is one of the most important steps in identifying a suspect in a crime. DNA evidence can either convict or exonerate an individual of a crime. Furthermore, the accuracy of forensic identification of evidence has the possibility of leaving biased effects on a juror (Carrell, Krauss, Liberman, Miethe, 2008). This paper examines Carrells et alâ€℠¢s research along with three other research articles to review how DNA isRead MoreTechnology And Science By Law Enforcement1653 Words   |  7 PagesThe National Institute of Justice defines forensic science as, â€Å"the application of science, such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and engineering to matters of law,† (2014). The emphasis here is the use of technology and science by law enforcement officers and agencies and is accepted and recognized by the criminal justice system. It is seen as scientific technology or Criminalistics, (Dempsey Forst, 2013). While technology plays a role in this, it is most recognized by the useRead MoreEffectiveness of the Criminal Trial Process as a Means of Achieving Justice977 Words   |  4 Pageseffectiveness of the criminal trial process as a means of achieving justice The criminal trial process aims to provide justice for all those involved, while it succeeds in the majority of cases, it effectiveness is influenced and reduced by certain factors. These include the legal representation involved in a case and the availability of legal aid, the capacity of the jury assessing the trial, the credibility of scientific evidence and the impact of social media on the trial process. Due to such flawsRead MoreDNA Profiling and Criminal Justice: Ethical and Legal Issues1079 Words   |  4 PagesThe American system of justice is predicated on the search for justice. The emergence of DNA evidence as a source of evidence in this search has become a powerful ally for both the prosecution and defense in criminal trials and there has been no clear cut advantage gained by either side of the equation. The use of DNA evidence, often referred to as DNA profiling, has given police and prosecutors a new, and more reliable, means of identifying criminal but the cost of t he procedure, the time involvedRead MoreDna, Evidence, And Dna Evidence997 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many types of evidence used in our justice system including testimony, documentary evidence, real evidence, exculpatory evidence, inculpatory evidence, demonstrative evidence, and DNA evidence. However, the piece of evidence I will choose to talk about is DNA evidence which is also known as DNA profiling. This piece of evidence changed the landscape of the justice system when it was first introduced 1986 by Professor Alec Jeffreys; he developed DNA fingerprinting techniques to link twoRead MoreThe Blurry Lines And Laws Of Dna Fingerprinting1598 Words   |  7 PagesLines and Laws of DNA Fingerprinting Crime solving has come a long way since the P.I days, and with the extreme advances in biology and the sciences, forensics has integrated itself into criminology with a fervor. Starting around the 1980’s Scientist Sir Alec Jeffreys and his team first derived the process of DNA fingerprinting and realized the incredible tool they had at their disposal for anything from paternity testing to DNA evidence comparison at crime scenes. After Jeffreys’ DNA fingerprintingRead MoreThe Invention Of Dna Testing932 Words   |  4 Pageseye witness misidentification, false confessions, and mishandled evidence are all just a few reasons for wrongful convictions in the justice system. However, the authors of Actual Innocence: When Justice Goes Wrong and How to Make it Right, discuss how DNA is a main factor into â€Å"actually innocent† people. Throughout this book we learn stories about those who were wrongfully convicted and later proven guilty for reasons such as DNA testin g. While this proves to us that not everyone convicted is guiltyRead MoreEffectiveness of the Australians Criminal Trial Process in Achieving Justice1332 Words   |  6 Pagesachieving justice Justice is the concept of moral rightness that is based on equality, access and fairness. This means that the law is applied equally, understood by all people and does not have a particularly harsh effect on an individual. In Australia, the adversary system is used as a means to achieve justice by proving the accused, beyond reasonable doubt, committed the crime. The criminal trial process has many features which aim to fulfill the requirements of achieving justice. These elements