Is DNA the fingerprint of the future or is it a threat to society? The Burns and Smith article, “DNA: Fingerprint of the Future?” explains that a DNA data has many uses and can be very helpful for convicting criminals as well as freeing the wrongly convicted. DNA has been used in thousands of cases and returned a conviction often solely based on the genetic evidence. Two of the most famous cases involving DNA evidence are the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the O.J. Simpson trial. The evidence used is very condemning and it is hard to ignore that the odds of the evidence being wrong is more than 1 in a million. The most common use of DNA evidence can be found in sexual assault cases. Genetic evidence is often the only lead that they have and without it no one would be convicted in many of these cases. DNA testing has also absolved a primary suspect in 25% of the sexual assault cases examined in the FBI crime lab. Genetic evidence is also very helpful in determining parentage in disputed cases.

Burns and Smith also recognize the problems involved in this sort of testing. Things are not always done as well as they should be and tests can be tampered with quite easily. There is also much room for DNA discrimination by anyone from insurance companies to workplaces. Unlike fingerprints, DNA contains much more than identification. It contains information about the person that they might not even know themselves. Genes have been found linking people to many diseases and characteristics. DNA is a very personal thing, and thus the government has imposed a $100,000 fine for disclosing genetic information without authorization.

There are steps being taken to create a DNA database for the whole country. It is already underway in several ways. Convicted sex offenders are required to give a DNA sample for this database. The National Index System or NDIS already contains 600,000 samples and is growing rapidly. The system returned 400 matches after just a few months in operation.

The other article “The Creeping Expansion of DNA Data Banking” by Barry Steinhardt has a much different view on the usefulness of this technique. He fears it because of all the downfalls discussed earlier. He is skeptical of the use because it could grow into something much bigger than it has been designed to be. He notes that in the last decade it has already expanded widely, and DNA is now taken from everyone convicted of a crime instead of just sexual offenders. Proposals have also been made to expand that to all arrestees, however this could be easily seen as a violation of the Constitution. He feels that a clear line must be drawn to stop the abuse of this genetic information.

While Steinhardt makes a good argument, I think the benefits clearly outweigh the risks of DNA data banking. If these methods lead to the conviction of criminals and the freeing of the wrongly accused then I feel that they should be used. There are a lot of risks involved, and this must be watched and regulated very closely. Burns and Smith explained that DNA testing has already become much more reliable and will continue to as technology continues to evolve. The possibilities for genetic data are endless and it is a huge contributor to the entire criminal justice system.