The arguments for and against developing a genetic fingerprint profile for all members of society.

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The arguments for and against developing a genetic fingerprint profile for all members of society.

Genetic fingerprinting is a pattern of DNA that is unique to almost every individual; these areas of DNA are called hypervariable regions. The DNA pattern can be obtained from a sample of skin, hair, blood, or semen. Genetic fingerprinting can accurately distinguish two different humans from one another, and it can be used to compare genetic fingerprints to find a match. It was developed by Alec Jefferys in 1984.   A Genetic Fingerprint Profile is a sequence of your DNA that is individual to you which would be kept on file, for any identification purposes that may be needed.

        Genetic fingerprinting provides significant proof, and is used to identify criminals by matching their DNA, especially in cases of rape, where their genetic fingerprint can be obtained through a drop of the rapist’s semen.  Genetic fingerprinting is also helping set people free who were jailed for crimes that they did not commit. It can also be used to find out about health issues that the person could acquire in later life, such as the dominant gene for Huntington’s disease.

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        Genetic fingerprinting has been useful in many cases, such as providing solid proof for convicting rapists and murderers. One case where this happened was the murder of Shamsudden Mahmood, when 12 years after his murder, the police were finally able to have proof to convict their suspect, due to advances in DNA genetic fingerprinting.  Also, to date, the DNA database that the UK has (around 4.5 million samples) helped solve 452 murders, 644 rapes and 1872 other violent crimes.  Numbers like this show how effective genetic fingerprinting is for solving crimes, which shows a strong motive towards wanting to create ...

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