Impact of DNA profiling on the criminal justice system

Deposited with permission of the author. © 1994 Jane Moira TaupinThe innovative forensic technique of DNA profiling has been acclaimed as the most important advance in forensic science since fingerprinting. Whilst there is much anecdotal information on the impact of DNA profiling on criminal investigation, prosecution and adjudication, there is little quantitative and control comparison data on the routine use of forensic DNA profiling. This study evaluates the effect of the introduction of DNA profiling in Victoria on a number of key points in the criminal justice system. The overall impact of DNA profiling was low as determined by the percentage of criminal cases which utilise DNA profiling. However, in certain classes of cases its impact was measurable, most notably in sex offences committed by “strangers”. Less than one quarter of sexual offence cases of DNA profiled resulted in a contested trial, suggesting that the focus of DNA profiling on the criminal justice system should swing to the pre-trial phase. DNA profiling was most often used in sexual offence cases and a database comparison of these cases before and after the advent of DNA profiling was examined. Whilst not statistically significant, trends indicated there were more solved cases, more guilty pleas and fewer trials after the introduction of DNA profiling, but more individuals were drawn into the investigatory process. The number of trials of sexual offences in which consent was an issue was slightly greater than previously. The increase in guilty pleas with DNA profiling was only for stranger type crime. Further research is recommended as DNA profiling becomes the cornerstone of biological forensic analysis