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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The Legal, Social And Ethical Controversy Of The Collection And Storage Of Fingerprint Profiles And Dna Samples In Forensic Science, K. Michael
Associate Professor Katina Michael
The collection and storage of fingerprint profiles and DNA samples in the field of forensic science for non-violent crimes is highly controversial. While biometric techniques such as fingerprinting have been used in law enforcement since the early 1900s, DNA presents a more invasive and contentious technique as most sampling is of an intimate nature (e.g. buccal swab). A fingerprint is a pattern residing on the surface of the skin while a DNA sample needs to be extracted in the vast majority of cases (e.g. at times extraction even implying the breaking of the skin). This paper aims to balance the …