Posted on 01/19/2008 2:22:11 PM PST by neverdem
Simple cotton swabs would be rubbed inside the mouths of suspects. The collected human cheek cells would then be mined for DNA strands. And those samples would be put together as potential evidence in prosecutions.
But those few elemental steps — to be taken by city police officers — would represent a vast expansion of the tools available for solving criminal cases under a proposal laid out by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Thursday in his annual State of the City address. Virtually all suspects would have samples of their DNA taken. The concept leaps far beyond current practice, which is collecting DNA just from those convicted of all felonies and some misdemeanors.
Mr. Bloomberg also challenged scientists to invent a portable, suitcase-size device to allow the Police Department to analyze DNA more quickly and thoroughly at the scene of a crime. He said he would be willing to pay a “six-figure prize” — as much as $999,999 — to whoever invents the device.
A day after the mayor’s speech, however, important questions about the plans hung in the air, even among supporters. Among them: With 375,659 felony and misdemeanor arrests last year, how realistic would it be to test the DNA of everyone charged with a crime? What are the costs and hurdles for implementing a program like this? How quickly can a police force of tens of thousands of officers be trained?
Another question is how likely Mr. Bloomberg’s DNA testing proposal is to pass in Albany, especially among divided state legislators who are up for re-election this year and who blocked approval for expanding genetic fingerprinting for those convicted of felonies and some misdemeanors for several years before approving it.
A move by Gov. Eliot Spitzer to expand the DNA database — not nearly as radically as...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
And another thing: He said he would be willing to pay a “six-figure prize” — as much as $999,999 — to whoever invents the device.
$1,000.00 has six figures in it.
I’m reading “Next” by Chrichton and this stuff scares the hell outta me.
Think of all the unknown sperm bank donors and the possibility of inbreeds.
Will people be forced to get DNA testing to make sure they are not related. Some day?
Rich Prize Dangled To Spur Anti-Crime Technology (Bloomberg's DNA technology dream)
New Questions on Treating Cholesterol
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Growth of Genetic Tests Concerns Federal Panel
NY Times | January 18, 2008 | ROBERT PEAR
Posted on 01/18/2008 5:10:10 PM EST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1955951/posts
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