Dna Testing
Running Head: DNA Testing
DNA Testing
CRJ 311 Forensics
Timothy Knox
November 4, 2012
Thesis
DNA testing has become a major part of forensic science. It helps in so many areas of life. Catching criminals, freeing the innocent, determining paternity of children, amongst other things, are just a few ways DNA testing helps. It has a few cons like the financial burden of it. But in the end it is worth it. Without DNA there would be many offenders roaming the streets, while hundreds of innocents are prosecuted and imprisoned wrongly.
Definition of DNA
DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. It is an important substance of the human body. DNA is a nucleic acid which contains genetic information about human bodies. It has the function to store information about your body. However DNA is not only found in humans. It can be found in animal as well. (dnadefinition.net, 2012). DNA is genetically inherited; half from a mother and the other half from the father. (Anjara, 2012)
History of DNA
In 1950 graduate student Francis Crick and research fellow James Watson became interested in the research of DNA. Crick and Watson were not the only one’s studying DNA. In London Maurice Wilkins and Roseland Franklin were also studying DNA theories. In 1951 Franklin found that DNA could exist in two forms. By 1962 Watson and Crick won the Nobel Prize for physiology medicine. Franklin unfortunately was deceased and could not receive hers. Fred Sanger and his team developed many of the sequencing techniques continuing Franklin’s work. For 15 years Sanger and his collegues developed several and ever-improving methods to sequence DNA. This technique is still used today. (Bioinformatics, 2012).
The DNA testing technique was first used in the late 1980’s. A Portland, Oregon man was convicted of raping and impregnating his 13year old daughter. Since the 80’s, DNA has been used widely in the court room. Even DNA from animals has been used. In one case a suspect was
DNA Testing
CRJ 311 Forensics
Timothy Knox
November 4, 2012
Thesis
DNA testing has become a major part of forensic science. It helps in so many areas of life. Catching criminals, freeing the innocent, determining paternity of children, amongst other things, are just a few ways DNA testing helps. It has a few cons like the financial burden of it. But in the end it is worth it. Without DNA there would be many offenders roaming the streets, while hundreds of innocents are prosecuted and imprisoned wrongly.
Definition of DNA
DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. It is an important substance of the human body. DNA is a nucleic acid which contains genetic information about human bodies. It has the function to store information about your body. However DNA is not only found in humans. It can be found in animal as well. (dnadefinition.net, 2012). DNA is genetically inherited; half from a mother and the other half from the father. (Anjara, 2012)
History of DNA
In 1950 graduate student Francis Crick and research fellow James Watson became interested in the research of DNA. Crick and Watson were not the only one’s studying DNA. In London Maurice Wilkins and Roseland Franklin were also studying DNA theories. In 1951 Franklin found that DNA could exist in two forms. By 1962 Watson and Crick won the Nobel Prize for physiology medicine. Franklin unfortunately was deceased and could not receive hers. Fred Sanger and his team developed many of the sequencing techniques continuing Franklin’s work. For 15 years Sanger and his collegues developed several and ever-improving methods to sequence DNA. This technique is still used today. (Bioinformatics, 2012).
The DNA testing technique was first used in the late 1980’s. A Portland, Oregon man was convicted of raping and impregnating his 13year old daughter. Since the 80’s, DNA has been used widely in the court room. Even DNA from animals has been used. In one case a suspect was