ABSTRACT
The collection of large databases of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) identifiers is a double-edged sword for the public and civil rights. At conflict are the scientific ability to specifically identify a person beyond doubt, on the one hand, and the protection of individual privacy and liberty, on the other. DNA is of major importance in criminal prosecutions but also plays a critical role in civil cases such as suits to establish paternity. As the blueprint for every cell in the body, DNA is truly individual, with the minor exception of identical twins. Several DNA "markers" can be reviewed from cells to narrow a pool of people to a single person. The testing of DNA has been used to identify the perpetrators of crimes and to exonerate the innocent. The Justice Department prepared a research report that included twenty-eight case studies for individuals exonerated by DNA evidence after they were found guilty in a jury trial.
