Forensic DNA Testing: An Investigator’s Best Tool

Forensics is the study of the evidence found at a crime scene , which is then used in a court of law to pass a judgment. The process of Forensic DNA testing is the testing of evidence in a DNA testing lab. This is usually done to convict a suspect or to get an innocent person out of the legal mess.

Like in the last century, where fingerprints brought a revolution in identifying the criminals, Forensic DNA testing has done the same for the present times.

Forensic DNA testing is a recent phenomenon

The year in which it was first used for was in 1987, in England. After three months, it was applied in Orlando, Florida. Forensic DNA testing involves the testing of DNA. As you may already know, the DNA is unique in every person, so the DNA can be found in the blood, skin, spit and semen of a person. Usually, these things are found on the scene of crime and are then used in forensic DNA testing

Forensic DNA testing has emerged as a prominent technique in the U.S. justice system. Many innocent persons are freed daily and many guilty persons are convicted daily with the help of forensic DNA testing . For investigators, it has been a most effective tool to help their work and to solve those crimes which seemed virtually impossible to conclude. .

Still, forensic DNA testing has a long way to go. Some states use it heavily while the others don't consider it worth the time and money. The federal funding for the forensic DNA testing is not enough for every case. Therefore, as a result, a backlog of evidence from unsolved cases is still to be tested. Apart from that, the absence of proper statistics has acted as a hurdle in the evaluation of the role of forensic DNA testing in the justice system.

Another fact is that the forensic DNA testing can be an expensive affair. For instance, the forensic DNA testing for a rape case can cost up to a fat fee of $500 , while in a murder case the forensic DNA testing can cost more than $10,000 .

Forensic DNA testing is more complex process as compared to the normal paternity testing, because it uses several methods of testing , according to the type of evidence. Another factor that helps in deciding the testing procedure is that whether the evidence is deteriorated or degraded.

Forensic DNA testing has given a boost to the people's belief in the accuracy of the justice system. It has made it easy for the law enforcers to catch a guilty person.

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