Technology is one of the major factors that has reshaped forensic science over the last few decades. What was once unimaginable has now become common place because of technology. Nowhere are these dramatic changes more evident than in forensic DNA analysis capabilities.
Prior to beginning work on this discussion, please review the following:
The articles:
Policies and Practices in Cold Cases: An Exploratory Study (Links to an external site.)
The Impact of DNA Exonerations on the Criminal Justice System (Links to an external site.)
Cold Cases: Resources for Agencies, Resolution for Families (Links to an external site.)
The special report Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases (Links to an external site.)
The videos:
IBIS and a Cold Case (video above)
Just Wrong: The Aftermath of Wrongful Convictions (Links to an external site.)
Power of Forensic DNA & Technology in Cold Case Prosecutions – Justice Journal Episode 1 (Links to an external site.)
The web pages:
Cold Case Initiative (Links to an external site.)
Cold Case Investigations and Forensic DNA (Links to an external site.)
Significant advances in forensic science and technology have been made in just the last 50 to 75 years. The two areas most significantly affected by these advances, which have allowed investigators to reevaluate old cases with new tools, are cold case investigations (i.e., usually homicide or sexual assault) and exonerating individuals wrongfully convicted. The class will be divided into groups to explore these topics closely.
You are also strongly encouraged to review the recommended sources, which may further support this discussion forum. You will be assigned to topics by last name to complete this discussion forum.
You will be assigned as follows if your last name begins with the following letters:
N through Z: Exonerations
From the perspective of your assigned topic, evaluate modern science’s potential in reevaluating evidence from historical cases. Provide examples and specific details about what has changed and the impact it has had on the criminal justice system.
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One of the key variables that has transformed forensic research in recent decades is technology. Because of technological advancements, what was previously unthinkable has now become commonplace. The capabilities of forensic DNA analysis are one of the most glaring examples of these significant advances.
Please read the following before starting to work on this discussion:
The following are the articles:
An Exploratory Study of Policies and Practices in Cold Cases (Links to an external site.)
Exonerations by DNA: What Does It Mean for the Criminal Justice System? (Links to an external site.)
Cold Cases: Agencies’ Resources, Families’ Resolution (Links to an external site.)
Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases is a special report (Links to an external site.)
IBIS and a Cold Case are two videos to watch (video above)
The Aftermath of “Just Wrong”
