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A Yellow Light to DNA Searches

By Steve Hall

That's the title of an editorial in today's New York Times on the issue of familial DNA testing.  LINKFor nearly 25 years, a serial killer stalked South Los Angeles, murdering at least 10 people. He was caught last week through the use of a much-debated DNA technique that involves tracking down relatives of convicted criminals. The technique, known as familial searching, has significant potential as a crime-fighting tool and is likely to spread to other states now that it has passed its first successful test in this country. But there must be stringent safeguards to prevent abuse. And: Using a partial DNA match this way could raise all sorts of privacy and civil liberties issues if not carefully controlled. Hundreds of people could fall under suspicion simply because they are related to someone in the criminal DNA database...continue to full post

Full post as published by StandDown Texas Project on July 13, 2010 (boomark / email).