THE UNREALIZED POTENTIAL OF DNA TESTING

      This article can mainly be described with this statement, "Today, although most crimes continue to be solved through confessions and eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence--most often drugs, fingerprints, firearms, blood, and semen--has come increasingly to be used to establish the truth." The authors introduces the idea on how DNA has improved in the years and has helped tremendously with solving crimes. The article also showcases that DNA has become a routines in the courthouse. The use of DNA to solve investigations has increase greatly in the passed years.
        IN THE U.S. Today almost all States have legislation related to DNA data banking, most of it focusing on collecting and testing DNA from individuals convicted of sexual assaults and often homicides. In some cases the legislation requires collection from all convicted felons. Although DNA databanking was proposed almost 10 years ago, and although data banking has been almost universally adopted at the State level, the concept of its development in this country is still rudimentary.
       This article is based was written to allow people to acknowledge the fact that DNA and forensic evidence have great potential in the future. If the potential of DNA and forensic evidence can be established or realized, the percentage of people getting away with murder will hugely decrease.




       The article helps consider a great future for Forensic evidence. It showcases that forensic evidence is reliable, and its accuracy is increasing greatly. With the help of technology being invented,  tools becoming more and more reliable, and the more determined forensic scientist at work will help ensure a phenomenal  future for forensics. 


Do you agree with the authors?




Weedn, Victor Walter, and John W. Hicks. "The Unrealized Potential of DNA Testing." National Institute of Justice Journal (U.S. Dept. of Justice). Dec. 1997: 16-23. SIRS Government Reporter. Web. 20 May 2012.

Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation: Past, Present, and Future

      In George Schiro's article he explains how past advancement in forensics, foreshadows future advancement. He evaluates the most significant advancement in the future. One of which was the the improvement of photography. Investigators now are able to easily view crime scene at any given because of the amount of photography taken with high profile cameras. He suspects that with the amount of improvements that the forensic industry has had, the future is looking to be her easy to solve crimes.  Schiro also explains the the advancements of Fingerprinting and DNA. Forensic scientist and investigators both you a system called AFIS to identify suspects by using fingerprints and DNA. This system was made about 33 yrs. ago, before then it was time consuming and very hard identify people. AFIS helped developed a faster easily used technique that enable investigators to identify crime suspects. With this information Schiro believes that hopefully in the future, science can develop a way where suspects can be identify instantly. He has develop a theory that in the near future scientist will be able to read fingerprints by using cell phones, or other technologies instantly.




Does Schiro have a reasonable assumption of the future?


Do you think that Forensic science has a future on improvement?






WEBSITE


Schiro, G. Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation: Past, Present, and Future. American Lawman, Spring 2000.

Electrostatic Dust Print Lifter

    This video contains a way to solve a crime by using the dust print lifter. The Electrostatic Dust printer lifter allows investigators to visual see footprints. The lifter works by placing the right type of material paper with the lifter machine were you are predicting a foot print may be. After placing the machine and the paper, the device will quickly retrieve the dust and form and footprint on the piece of paper. There are different types of paper used, one for metals, carpet, and regular flooring. After the print is made, the investigator and the forensic scientist have little time to further analyse the print, because the print may begin to deteriorate. 


VIDEO

Do you think that this machine is valuable to forensic scientist?

Can this device be accused for improving forensic accuracy?

Does this method allow scientist to view the footprint years after the crime was closed?