Criminal Justice Capstone Project

Criminal Justice Assignment
Name
Institute
Date
Investigating DNA: Problems, Challenges, and Solutions
The introduction of DNA into criminal investigation was a game-changing event: since the DNA of every human being is a unique pattern of genes, it became easier for investigators to identify suspects and confirm their guilt through special characteristics found at the crime scene.
DNA examination, in fact, is one of the most important tools of criminal investigation in sexual assault cases. In 1999, New York police authorities convicted a man of 22 sexual assaults based on data obtained through DNA testing CITATION Uni14 l 16393 (United States Department of Justice, 2014). Not only is the technology effective in identifying suspects, but the results can also be used as the basis for an arrest warrant once the suspect is identified.
However, the current system of collecting and identifying DNA has scope for large improvement: one of the major challenges that the field faces is the lack of adequately trained personnel to collect and analyse samples. A survey published in the National Institute of Justice Journal reiterated the dire condition of DNA investigation in the country: of all the cases registered with the FBI, less than ten percent had proper DNA samples CITATION Wee97 l 16393 (Weedn & Hicks, 1997).
Additionally, crime labs require a certain amount of assistance and additional information from the law enforcement officers, which does not always h…