Well, Texas has done it again. We are in yet another very exclusive category...even within our own nation. Texas is only 1 of 4 states that allow deliberate familial DNA searches. The other 3 are California, Colorado, and Virginia.
With the saturation of television crime scene dramas everyone these days know about standard forensic DNA testing. This involves seeking a direct match between DNA found at a crime scene and the DNA of a suspect. With the advent of the FBI database, CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), in 1998 DNA searches have become a constant reality. It is now a standard condition of felony probation in most counties, including Denton, that the probationer submit a DNA sample for CODIS. It seems harmless enough after all - just a swab of the cheek and that condition can be marked off the list. But is it really harmless...?
Familial DNA searches, on the other hand, implicate broader privacy concerns. Familial DNA searches are searches for a close relative's DNA. They are used when a "suspect" has thus far avoided the "cheek swab" that comes along with any sort of felony disposition (other than an acquittal of course) making the suspect's DNA unavailable to law enforcement. Familial DNA searches are useful because, according to Time Magazine, 48% of people in jail have a relative who has also been incarcerated.
It may be a good investigative tool and pass constitutional muster in the end. But before jumping on board with familial DNA searches it's worth thinking about. Now, how many people will unknowingly be under constant genetic surveillance? Isn't this just something else that makes it all seem a bit too Orwellian??
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