The Golden State Killer had raped and murdered for ten years and hidden in plain sight for decades before he was finally caught, years after terrorizing Californians. His crime spree involved nearly 90 victims, and because he was a former police officer, he knew how to evade detection and capture…
Today’s technology can make or break a criminal case. Specifically, the ability to identify DNA, which can more easily find people that could be linked to or associated with a crime is a big deal. DNA is one of the primary pieces of evidence forensic investigators will be looking for…
According to Chesa Boudin, San Francisco’s District Attorney, the DNA taken from sexual assault survivors is being used to help investigations into other crimes that are not even related to the sexual assault victim. One example was a woman who was found and charged with a felony property crime who…
In California and throughout the nation, the collection of DNA is a huge undertaking. All 50 states are required to collect DNA evidence from suspects, with some occurring at the arrest, prior to getting a conviction. Several types of DNA evidence exist in society today. DNA swabbing is one of…
DNA plays an important role in crime investigations. From collecting fingerprints to hair follicles and swabs of saliva, DNA is the evidence that can make or break a criminal investigation. Today, we will define DNA, show you how DNA is typically used in criminal cases, the new technology surrounding DNA,…
This is the fifth post in a continuing series about the use of DNA profiling by law enforcement in California. The focus in this segment is the DNA collection of criminal suspects or people arrested and charged for a crime but not found guilty or have not pled guilty to…
This is the third post in a series on the use of DNA profiling by law enforcement in California. The focus here is on the DNA collection of juvenile offenders.Sometimes referred to as “Section 602 proceedings,” after the California law governing delinquency proceedings, juvenile court is not a part of…
This is a second post in a series on DNA profiling in California. DNA fingerprinting or DNA profiling is the process of determining an individual’s DNA characteristics. DNA tests can be performed using a sample of a person’s blood, hair, skin, amniotic fluid, or other tissue to create a unique…
Back in 1989, DNA fingerprinting, commonly known as DNA profiling, was hailed as the 20th century’s most important breakthrough in forensic science. Law enforcement was eager to use the technology to identify and prosecute people accused of committing crimes. Law enforcement has been less eager, however, to exonerate innocent people…
While the allure of exploring one’s family tree and lineage has meant big business for some companies, two major that research family lineage (for a fee) claim that over the last two years, they have received law enforcement demands for genetic information stored in their DNA databases. Ancestry.com and their…