Advancing Justice through DNA and Fingerprint Technologies

Advancing Justice through DNA and Fingerprint Technologies

Fair rulings and administration of justice in the court of law play a vital role in peacekeeping in the United States. With improved technological innovations such as computers, criminal justice databases that generate big data, and new policies, crimes have been prevented, thus improving police performance and court rulings. Crime investigation and administration of justice have been advanced with databases such as DNA tests and fingerprint analysis.

Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the building of the body cells, has been used to identify incredible accuracy for biological evidence. Computer-generated information for the DNA tests is used to clear suspects that have been mistakenly accused. With advanced technologies in DNA, tests have ensured accuracy and fairness in the court of law (Bara, Kumawat, Imam, 2018). Successful use of DNA tests has helped to solve crimes related to sexual assault, robberies, and child claim

Crimes related to sexual assault are challenging when it comes to ruling. With DNA tests, such crimes related to rape are solvable. For instance, a man with sexual assault, when aligned in a court of law, will be required to conduct a DNA test and provide the results of his DNA sample. A suspect sample is entered into existing DNA databases for comparison with the crime area’s proof. The comparisons will help establish whether the suspect committed the offense or not. If the accused did not commit the crime, his DNA profile should be kept in the DNA databases for future referencing of other sexual assaults if they occur.

The linked DNA offenders’ profiles via DNA databases are evident enough in the court of law for law enforcement purposes. The state has recorded and exchanged a system of DNA profiles called the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) that controls the DNA profiles of all citizens in a set of databases available to all agencies that enforce laws across the country (Becker, Dutelle, 2018). States impose strict laws that require offenders convicted of offenses related to rape and robbery to provide DNA samples for referencing purposes upon the occurrence of such crimes. Upon the occurrence of crimes that require DNA, the evidence is analyzed and run against a DNA database for the administration of justice. The victim is apprehended, tried, and sentenced if a match is found if a match is found. Through the sentence of the criminal, further crimes are prevented.

With changes in technology, DNA research has advanced in the following fields: the development of DNA chip technology, the development of robust methods, and the identification of vast samples. DNA chip technology improves the resolution speed of DNA evidence analysis (Becker, Dutelle, 2018). This technology reduces the time of matching the databases in case solving.

Advancing Justice Through Fingerprint Analysis

Enforcement of state laws and administration of justice in ruling agencies rely on fingerprint analysis. Investigation officers mostly use fingerprint-enabled gadgets to link suspects to crime scenes. With technological changes, more intelligence techniques have replaced manual biometric identification in forensic science (Becker, Dutelle, 2018). Fingerprints are important in the administration of criminal justice. Trained officers and analysts compare unknown prints from a crime scene with known suspects’ fingerprints to solve criminal cases. Areas where fingerprints can be applied to solve crimes include murder, robbery, assault, and burglary.

For instance, a culprit can leave fingerprints on the weapon or the victim’s skin. During fingerprint analysis, trained officers will extract the prints and then match them with fingerprint databases of the other victim to determine whether the convicted was responsible for the murder (Smith, Mann, Urbas, 2018). In addition, recorded fingerprints can also link suspected criminals to other crimes that have not been solved during database searches.

Fingerprints have also been used in background checks of terror attacks to the state and weapon permitting. Most government institutions, such as courts, higher learning institutions, and defense agencies, have automated fingerprint login gadgets that access millions of fingerprint databases (Smith, Mann, Urbas, 2018). The automated gadgets can detect numerous logins and record them. Recorded fingerprints are used as evidence in case terror attacks happen. Terrorists who cross international borders with fake identification cards are easily identified through fingerprint scanning and charged with such offenses.

With technology and innovation, scanners save fingerprint data electronically appropriately (Shali, 2018). For instance, fingerprints are taken via electronic devices or manually using ink and paper and then stored in computer-generated databases that give quick results during crime checks.

Recently, DNA tests and fingerprint analysis have encountered several problems, such as labs with unanalyzed DNA data, inadequate training, overwhelming tests and analysis, preliminary research, and bribes. These problems have delayed the administration of justice (Mohsin, Zaidan, Ariffin, Albahri, Hashim, 2018). To overcome the challenges facing DNA tests and fingerprint analysis, the government should employ more trained personnel, increase the number of laboratories, and deploy more resources to conduct research.

Conclusion

Efficient and accurate DNA tests and fingerprint analysis are important in administering justice in a court of law. The state should have computerized systems of DNA and fingerprint databases for all citizens to ease the matching process upon committing crimes. The state should support DNA tests and fingerprint analysis by funding forensic analysis programs and the combined DNA Index System. In addition, the state should train prosecutors and judges to improve the administration of justice (Becker, Dutelle, 2018). In summary, DNA and fingerprint analysis need improvement in areas associated with research, the construction of labs, and the use of modern technology when conducting research.

References

Bara, N., Kumawat, R., & Imam, J. (2018). DNA Fingerprinting Techniques for Forensic Application: Past, Present, and Future. In DNA Fingerprinting: Advancements and Future Endeavors (pp. 25-33). Springer, Singapore.

Becker, R. F., & Dutelle, A. W. (2018). Criminal investigation. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Mohsin, A. H., Zaidan, A. A., Zaidan, B. B., Ariffin, S. A. B., Albahri, O. S., Albahri, A. S., … & Hashim, M. (2018). Real-time medical systems based on human biometric steganography: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Systems, 42(12), 1-20.

Shali, S. K. (2018). Applicability of Forensic Science in Criminal Justice System in India With Special Emphasis on Crime Scene Investigation. Medico-Legal Desire Media and Publications, Medico-Legal Reporter, Inaugural Issue.

Smith, M., Mann, M., & Urbas, G. (2018). Biometrics, crime, and security. Routledge.

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You have just graduated from the AIU Online Criminal Justice program and acquired your dream career working with the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). You love to write articles of criminal justice interest. Because the NCJRS provides links to millions and millions of criminal justice references, you find yourself in awe of your career.

Advancing Justice through DNA and Fingerprint Technologies

For your first assignment, you have been asked to present a report at an upcoming criminal justice conference. This report will help your colleagues better understand how databases, technology, policies, and so forth affect the administration of justice and the outcome of court cases. Your training coordinator expects you to highlight several examples of how criminal justice databases, computer technology, and policies have changed how crimes are investigated and how criminals are brought to justice.
Pick 2 of the following databases and address how technology tools and policies have changed the legal landscape in the United States in a 4-page paper:
• Fingerprint analysis
• DNA databases
• Ballistics testing
• Tire-tread analysis
• Tracking of illegal pornographic images
• Modus operandi databases
• Three-strikes laws
• Gun control laws
• The USA PATRIOT Act
• Megan’s law
• Domestic violence laws
• The exclusionary rule
• Lie detectors
• Inmate classification systems
• Truth-in-sentencing laws