{"id":125707,"date":"2024-08-10T19:28:03","date_gmt":"2024-08-10T13:58:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=125707"},"modified":"2024-08-12T16:54:21","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T11:24:21","slug":"dna-profiling-in-the-justice-system","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/dna-profiling-in-the-justice-system","title":{"rendered":"DNA Profiling In The Justice System"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though the <\/span><b>accuracy of DNA evidence may be increasing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the advancement of science with every passing day, thereby <\/span><b>making it more and more reliable,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> scientists have <\/span><b>not yet reached a juncture where it may be said to be infallible.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, it cannot be said that <\/span><b>the absence of DNA evidence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would lead to an adverse inference against a party, especially in the presence of other cogent and reliable evidence on record in favour of such a party.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>About DNA<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>DNA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is <\/span><b>deoxyribonucleic acid,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and it is <\/span><b>genetic material<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> present in the nuclei of cells in living organisms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Presence:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> An average human body is composed of <\/span><b>about 100 trillion cells.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> DNA is <\/span><b>present in the nucleus <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of a cell as a double helix, supercoiled to form chromosomes along with intercalated proteins.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Genetic Structure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> All information about internal organisation, physical characteristics, and physiological functions of the body is encoded in DNA molecules in a language (sequence) of alphabets of<\/span><b> four nucleotides or bases: Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Thymine (T), and Cytosine (C), along with the sugar phosphate backbone.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Chromosomes: Twenty-three pairs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of chromosomes are present in each nucleated cell, and an individual inherits 23 chromosomes from the mother and 23 from the father transmitted through the ova and sperm, respectively.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chromosomes are <\/span><b>threadlike structures made of protein and a single molecule of DNA that serve to carry the genomic information from cell to cell.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Source of Biological Material: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the same DNA sequence is present in every cell of the body (apart from mature red blood cells) therefore, DNA can be sourced from any biological material.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes<\/span><b> saliva, semen, vaginal fluids, blood, body tissues, teeth, hair, and bones.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA may be left behind on objects during physical contact, which is commonly referred to as<\/span><b> touch DNA or trace DNA.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The quantity of DNA contained in biological material<\/span><b> varies.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Blood and saliva are richer sources<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of DNA as compared to teeth and hair roots, which are DNA deficient.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Touch DNA contains very low amounts of DNA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is not an ideal source for DNA profiling.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>method for the collection, packaging, storage, and transportation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of a DNA sample differs based on the source of the biological material and the conditions in which it is found.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Reliability of DNA in Criminology<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA analysis is based on probability and, in that sense, cannot be considered conclusive evidence. <\/span><b>DNA in all human beings is 99.9% identical. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In forensic DNA profiling, a few locations in the remaining 0.1% of DNA are chosen to create a person\u2019s DNA profile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Loci:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Theses are the specific locations at which the DNA. These loci have <\/span><b>repetitive sequences of DNA called Short Tandem Repeats, or STRs.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> While every individual has the same sequence, or STR, on a locus, the number of times that it repeats itself may vary across individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Alleles: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>variation in the number of repetitions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is referred to as alleles.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At a given locus, <\/span><b>an individual has two alleles, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">one inherited from the father and the other from the mother.<\/span><b> STRs present on the Y chromosome are used in sexual assault cases or to determine paternal lineage.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Need to Ensure: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One way to ensure at least the right samples are tested is to<\/span><b> videograph the entire process,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> following in <\/span><b>Tamil Nadu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to a directive by Justice P.N. Prakash. He said that <\/span><b>convictions cannot be made only on the strength of a DNA analysis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, without other corroborating evidence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Pattu Rajan v. State of T.N. 2019, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">judges considered the value to be attached to a DNA report: \u201cLike all other opinion evidence, the <\/span><b>probative value accorded to DNA evidence also varies from case to case, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">depending on facts and circumstances and the weight accorded to other evidence on record, whether contrary or corroborative.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>About DNA Profiling<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA profiling is the<\/span><b> process where a specific DNA pattern, called a profile, is obtained<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from a person or sample of bodily tissue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-125708 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/101-66b76fbd8558c.webp\" alt=\"DNA Profiling\" width=\"449\" height=\"325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/101-66b76fbd8558c.webp 701w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/101-66b76fbd8558c-300x217.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 449px) 100vw, 449px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Refers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA profiling, also known as DNA fingerprinting, is a\u00a0 <\/span><b>scientific technique<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> employed<\/span><b> to identify individuals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> based on their unique genetic makeup.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Background: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The genesis of DNA profiling can be traced back to the<\/span><b> mid-1980s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, British geneticist <\/span><b>Alec Jeffreys<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> discovered that certain regions of DNA contained patterns that were unique to each individual.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His <\/span><b>breakthrough led to the first-ever application of DNA profiling in a criminal case in 1986,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> marking the dawn of<\/span><b> a new era in forensic science.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Focus On:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It involves <\/span><b>analysing specific areas of the human genome,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where variations between individuals are likely to exist.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This<\/span><b> enables an unparalleled level of discrimination, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">being able to distinguish between two individuals <\/span><b>except for identical twins who share the same genetic blueprint.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>DNA Profiling Techniques<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Various techniques have been developed over the years to unlock the power of DNA for identification and analysis:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> RFLP was <\/span><b>the first method developed for DNA profiling.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This process involves extracting DNA, cutting it into fragments using restriction enzymes, and then separating these fragments according to size using a process called electrophoresis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> PCR is a technique <\/span><b>used to amplify specific regions of DNA, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">making it easier to analyse. It has proved indispensable in cases where only a small amount of DNA is available.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Short Tandem Repeats (STR) Analysis: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">STR analysis <\/span><b>focuses on specific regions of DNA that contain short sequence repetitions.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The number of these repeats<\/span><b> varies between individuals, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">making it a useful tool for profiling.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Analysis:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> SNPs are<\/span><b> variations at a single base pair in the DNA sequence. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With millions of SNPs spread across the human genome, their analysis can <\/span><b>provide a detailed DNA profile.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Applications of DNA Profiling<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following are the various applications of DNA Profiling:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Criminal Investigation and Forensics: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNA profiling plays a critical role in the field of forensic science. It is <\/span><b>employed to link suspects to crime scenes.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Paternity Testing and Genealogy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> DNA profiling offers<\/span><b> a reliable method for establishing biological relationships<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in paternity disputes and in exploring ancestral lines in genealogical research.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Personalised Medicine and Genetics:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The use of DNA profiling in medicine is increasing. It helps in understanding a patient\u2019s predisposition to certain diseases and providing treatments according to their genetic makeup, leading to more effective and personalised healthcare.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Wildlife and Conservation Genetics:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In wildlife and conservation, DNA profiling helps track animal migration, monitor genetic diversity, and manage breeding of endangered species.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human DNA profiling is<\/span><b> a powerful tool with vast applications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in various fields. As it continues to evolve, <\/span><b>it holds the promise of breakthroughs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that could transform our understanding of human genetics and redefine personalised medicine. The<\/span><b> integration of AI and machine learning techniques may revolutionise this field, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">making profiling faster, cheaper, and more precise.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Privacy Concerns and Consent: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The proliferation of DNA profiling has raised significant privacy and consent issues. The potential misuse of genetic data<\/span><b> can lead to discrimination and breaches of privacy.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Potential for Misuse: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inappropriate use of DNA profiling could result in genetic determinism and stigmatisation. It could also be exploited for purposes of surveillance and control.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ethical Dilemmas:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The growth of direct-to-consumer genetic testing has triggered debates around the ethical implications of individuals having access to their genetic information, with concerns about psychological impact and potential for misunderstanding results.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 99.9282%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 137.812%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.2763%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.2763%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.2763%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Test Series 2024<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.2763%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Main Answer Writing<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 137.812%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Though the accuracy of DNA evidence may be increasing with the advancement of science with every passing day, thereby making it more and more reliable, scientists have not yet reached a juncture where it may be said to be infallible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2092],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/125707"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125707"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/125707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125714,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/125707\/revisions\/125714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125707"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=125707"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=125707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}