Discuss the below:
1. The Innocence Project has made it its goal to improve the way forensic evidence is evaluated. They have found many faults in the system, and state that 46% of DNA exoneration cases were caused by misapplication of forensic science.
I found it especially interesting to see that evidence such as, tire tread impressions, bite marks, fibers and hair are not all that reliable. TV crime shows love to show just how easy it is to catch a perpetrator, and oftentimes they will use just these types of evidence. This misinformation leads to something called the "CSI Effect". Jurors in court cases often expect the prosecutor to have convincing evidence on hand, though this is hardly a reality.
DNA evidence is an important part of every case, but it isn't always that reliable. There are several factors that could make DNA evidence less reliable. The Innocence Project listed several reasons why DNA evidence is not used properly at times. One of the most devastating ones is probably mistakes made by forensic practitioners. Everyone makes mistakes at their job, but mixing up evidence or contaminating it, could possibly cost a person their freedom.
While I do believe that DNA evidence is mostly used properly, there are also many things that could be done better. It is very important to provide sufficient training for everyone in the field, and make sure no one is influenced by cognitive biases. The examiners need to be able to both examine the evidence and give expert testimony without being biased. Sadly, with all of the advanced equipment at their disposal it wouldn't be all that difficult to make a piece of evidence fit the crime.
2. Providing DNA testing post-conviction should definitely be made available to all people serving long prison sentences. Too often, people get convicted for a crime they didn't commit. This happens to a number of reasons; either the DNA evidence wasn't properly tested, or the examiner was biased and fabricated evidence.
A case involving now 50-year-old Henry Lee McCollum and his 46-year-old half -brother Leon Brown, shows why it is so important to make this available. They both were arrested and convicted of rape and murder in 1983. Thirty years later, the case and evidence was reviewed, and resulted in both men walking freely. It is devastating to think that they spent all these years behind bars for a crime they didn't commit. The Supreme Court had denied a request to review the case in 1994. There was never any DNA evidence of both men in the first place, but the examiner overlooked DNA evidence that involved another man in the murder. The only reason why they were suspected was because a local teenager turned the polices' attention to the two young men.
Being convicted of a crime one didn't commit and then spending a long duration of time in prison is devastating. No one should have to go through this, which is why providing DNA testing at request of the suspect is very important.
[1] Misapplication of Forensic Science, INNOCENCE PROJECT
[2] Arun Rath, IS THE 'CSI EFFECT' INFLUENCING COURTROOMS? NPR (2011)
[3] Misapplication of Forensic Science, INNOCENCE PROJECT,
[5] Jonathan Katz & Erik Ekholm, DNA EVIDENCE CLEARS TWO MEN IN 1983 MURDER THE NEW YORK TIMES (2014),