The Ethics of DNA Use
Police Use DNA to Track Suspects Through Family()
December 12, 2007 Law-enforcement investigators regularly use partial DNA matches to track down criminal suspects through family members who are already in a DNA databank. But critics say such genetic matches go against the notion that a person's DNA is inherently private.
Crime Labs Struggle with Flood of DNA Samples()
December 12, 2007 Crime labs are expanding DNA databases to include misdemeanants and arrestees as well as convicts. The effort may lead to more DNA matches from crime scenes. But now, a big backlog of evidence remains untested — while offenders may be committing more crimes.
Legal Limits Murky for Use of 'Discarded' DNA()
December 12, 2007 Everywhere people go, they leave little bits of DNA behind. The saliva on a coffee cup or a stray hair can tell criminal investigators a lot about a person. Courts have said little about how much of a right people have to keep that genetic material private.
