I just came across an article distributed by CNN announcing the above topic, which made me think about the use of DNA.
By Dana Rosenblatt, Special Investigations Unit; June 23, 2010 2:41 p.m. EDT
It’s a familiar scenario: When clues are scarce, witnesses won’t talk and police are stymied, they turn to DNA. The genetic building blocks can identify a victim, implicate a suspect or clear the wrongly accused. Now the science is expanding beyond human beings.
Dogfighting is an underground “blood sport” that is difficult to track, and it’s often impossible to prove a case against suspects accused of promoting and participating in dogfights, said Dr. Melinda Merck, senior director of veterinary forensic sciences with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
But because the dogs are highly inbred for their fighting qualities, their bloodlines may provide the evidence investigators need.
The Canine CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) is similar to the human DNA index system used by the FBI. And, it’s ready to be used to investigate and prosecute dogfighting operations, Merck said.
“If you got the dogs, you got the DNA,” Merck said. “I think it’s going to be interesting to see how this database enhances criminal cases. It should make dog-fighters very nervous.”
For the Full Story see: CNN
This is amazing! The amount of information that is contained in DNA and its many uses just seems to be growing a such a fast rate. But this raises the question of whether the laws are able to keep up with those advances. This article seems to indicate that the laws are able to keep up and even take advantage of this new technology in a very positive way.
