Why Are DNA Tests Admissible in Court?
When DNA is properly and legally obtained, DNA test results are admissible in court because of their value as evidence. Even in the case of identical twins, no two DNA samples are exactly alike. DNA evidence left behind by a criminal is one of the most credible types of forensic evidence.
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Function
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DNA is the code of your cells and your body. Without this code, your body would not be able to replicate the cells of your organs and tissues. DNA is left behind in many tissue samples, from blood to hair follicles.
Significance
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Siblings and parents share similar samples--but not similar enough to confuse the results. Since its development, DNA testing has been used to exonerate and free the innocent as well as convict the guilty.
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Benefits
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Should you be arrested for a crime you did not commit--such as rape, where DNA is often left behind--you can quickly remove yourself from the suspect list by volunteering for a DNA test to prove you are not the assailant. It should be noted that once you give up your DNA, the authorities may use it for other investigations.
History
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Sir Alec Jeffreys developed the first DNA "fingerprinting" technique in 1980 to identify individuals. It first entered the courtroom as evidence in 1985. In 1992, the U.S. Army began collecting DNA to identify soldiers who had been killed.
Expert Insight
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According to DNA expert Marc Scott Taylor, "DNA can be moved from person to person". Even a kiss can pass DNA from one person to another, Taylor said, and confuse test results, so DNA testing is not infallible.
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