DNA evidence is admissible in many courts worldwide and can be used to solve crimes and establish family connections. Samples are collected from bodily fluids and tested to identify genetic profiles. DNA evidence can also be used to confirm paternity and other family relationships. It has helped to exonerate wrongly convicted individuals and identify actual perpetrators.
DNA evidence is data obtained from the use of DNA testing. Developed during the latter part of the 20th century, the process of using genetic material to link individuals with a specific situation has been improved upon over the years and is now considered admissible evidence in many courts around the world. Evidence of this type has been used to solve crimes that have gone unsolved for several years, as well as providing investigators with a means to quickly identify and apprehend criminals connected to recent crimes.
Gathering DNA evidence at a crime scene usually begins with collecting items that may have come into contact with some sort of bodily fluid. This can include items such as toothbrushes or glasses that may have lingering traces of saliva on them. In rape cases, forensic teams may collect semen or blood found on clothing or other tissue found at the crime scene. As the forensic investigation continues, tests on the samples are being performed to profile the genetic makeup of the individuals who were at the scene.
In the case of a violent crime, such as murder or rape, it is a relatively easy process to identify the DNA profile that belongs to the victim. The remaining profiles can be used to weed out suspects in the case, allowing law enforcement authorities to focus their attention on other clues that may help identify the perpetrator. When a solid suspect is identified, he or she is given the opportunity to offer a DNA sample using a simple swab which is used to collect saliva from the inside of the cheek. If the collected sample matches what has been identified as the offender’s DNA profile, an arrest can be made.
The use of DNA evidence is not limited to criminal investigations. By collecting samples, evidence can be used to identify a child’s paternity. This makes this modern investigative tool useful in establishing the identity of the biological father. While the question is often cited as a means of proving paternity in child support cases, this same question is sometimes used by fathers who suspect that one or more of the children they have raised is not actually of their lineage.
DNA evidence can also be used to determine other forms of family connections. If viable samples are available, evidence can be used to confirm that someone claiming to be related to a family is indeed a blood relative. This application has proven useful when individuals would claim ownership of a deceased person as an illegitimate child of the deceased. DNA tests can quickly determine whether there is actually a genetic connection or if the claim is false.
Whether used in a criminal trial or to resolve some kind of family connection issue, DNA evidence has made it much easier to establish the truth in many situations. In recent years, evidence of this type has been useful in confirming that some people convicted of a crime were not actually guilty, while also allowing the actual perpetrator to be identified.
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