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Move Over, Police Sketches: DNA's On the Case

Forensic phenotyping works, but is it ethical?

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 27, 2009 10:02 AM CDT

(Newser) – The old-fashioned police sketch could soon be obsolete, the Wall Street Journal reports, thanks to DNA forensic phenotyping, an increasingly popular technique that uses crime-scene DNA to describe a suspect. So far, labs can only determine details such as ethnicity and physical traits, but that alone has helped in some cases, and scientists are working to push the technique further.

One Penn State geneticist, for example, is working to create a literal genetic police sketch, with a computer using genetic data to draw the subject, though that project won’t bear fruit for years. For now, the controversial technique remains somewhat unreliable. Germany and several US states have banned the practice over ethical concerns about racial profiling.

Police can now use DNA evidence to get an idea of what a suspect might look like.
Police can now use DNA evidence to get an idea of what a suspect might look like.   (Shutterstock)
Police can now use DNA evidence to get an idea of what a suspect might look like.
Police can now use DNA evidence to get an idea of what a suspect might look like.   (Shutterstock)
Police are using DNA evidence to identify suspects.
Police are using DNA evidence to identify suspects.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
Rob
Mar 28, 2009 5:56 AM CDT
You're right. This has nothing to do with racial profiling.
Rob
Mar 28, 2009 5:55 AM CDT
That's not how it works. Evidence, particularly scientifically based evidence, must be vetted before it enters the courtroom and it isn’t up to lawyers. It IS up to lawyers to make sure it is used properly and that the evidence was handled correctly. The technology of DNA is sound; its use is subject to human error.
riffran
Mar 28, 2009 3:30 AM CDT
Im seeing the movie "gattica"..on this one...Valids and Invalids...black white brown ect...will disappear...

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