DNA-Profiling and information technology: A new weapon for crime detection and prevention?

Since DNA-profiling involves complicated micro-biological issues, it is imperative to have an understanding of what DNA is and how the DNA-profiling is conducted. Therefore, in the first part the author will very briefly explain what DNA is and how the DNA-profiling is performed. In the second part, the issue is discussed whether the DNAprofiling can be a new wonder weapon for crime prevention and detection in general. For this purpose author outlines the legal status of DNA- profiling in various countries. Thereafter, the impact that DNA-profiling can and will have in conjunction with information technology on crime prevention and privacy rights will be analyzed. At the end the article will give an outlook to future developments and some critical remarks about DNA-profiling in general This article was previously published in European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice 1994,issue 4, pp. 359-37