B: Translation:
With its new DNA-register the police expect gradually to track down perpetrators to a succession so far, unsolved killing, rape robberies around in Denmark. The Danish Police Forces new DNA- section has therefore approached every single head of a station in the criminal police everywhere in the country and sought after old cases, where still unknown perpetrators have left biologically tracks. Temporarily are there a dozen cases received. On 1st. July the start signal sound to the much discussed DNA-register, there slowly shall be build up and contain genetically fingerprint from both suspects and convicts for serious criminality and also biologically tracks from unknown perpetrators. In a about year it estimates that 300-400 suspects or convicts DNA-profile to be in the register.
C: Essay:
DNA is a big step for science. Yet many people don’t know the purpose of DNA and what it really can do, but DNA is actually a big thing. Because it’s actually only a small fraction of our total DNA, that makes us different from example gorillas, chimpanzees and other primates. And an even smaller fraction makes one person different from the next. It’s these differences that forensic DNA expects use to identify people and determine the source of biological evidence such as blood or semen found at a crime scene. But DNA testing as it is now performed raises also a question as to whether the public should fear that an innocent person may be wrongfully convicted or a legitimate suspect excluded from consideration.
I think that we should be concerned that the Government can order the collection of one’s DNA for purposes of identification. But I think its okay that the Government can order fingerprints, but one’s DNA-profile would be too much. DNA also contains much more personal information than a fingerprint.
With the development of specialized machines, it is now relatively to make millions of copies of any gene in the body and also determine it sequence. With the same equipment, we can determine the genetic composition of anyone who becomes a suspect in a crime. This was also done in the text, because they coded all the DNA-profiles into a database, where they so could match the profiles against each other. We can then discuss the safety of this way; I think it’s important to remember that its people’s life they are dealing with, so I believe that the Government should be really careful when they use this system or database, because we can not completely put our trust on some machine, because the machine can also make mistakes, but also can people.
Today many of us have access to the Internet and as we all probably know the Internet contains much information. And that’s of course a god thing, but I am more concerned about if some people get their hands on these DNA-profiles. If such DNA-profiles get in the wrong hands on some people, it would be a disaster. First of all could they make copies, exact copies of a man or a woman?
They could also destroy years of investigation by destroying the DNA-files. And this will probably be the solution, if it gets in the wrong hands.
A DNA profile is a string of numbers stored on a computer. In theory it contains no more information about a person, than the numbers on a driving licence. But it contains of course your generics secrets, so it is of course valuable. It says in the text, that one day scientists maybe will be able to return and extract detailed information about your appearance, health and even your behaviour. I think that is a great idea, because then can scientists investigate how people lived for many years ago. That could be rather in interesting.
My opinion about this is very divided. Because on the one side I think it’s a great idea, but on the other side I think it’s a bad idea. That’s because I believe that our privacy would be offended in some way. But okay if you haven’t done anything, what should you be afraid of? But I still believe that is a big risk for people, especially if we get convicted for some thing, you haven’t done, as Raymond Easton.
The good thing about it is that it probably will reduce the crime to some extend, because the police would have a better chance to find the criminals. I also think that it is a great progress inside science, because they can “travel” back in time, to see how other people lived for years ago. But of course we can’t stop the development, and this is the future for us. I just think that we should keep it down on a level, where we can control it.
Written by Kristian Byrialsen
Aalborg Technically Collage