Rape kits, DNA, and criminals

[stjames1_53]

Are you opposed to the police going door to door where a major crime has occurred to determine if anyone saw anything helpful?

It is not a fishing expedition. The criminal left dna at the crime scene. The company that does the genetic testing is performing the same service for the police-delivered sample as they do for any other customer.

you are still searching an entire data base. There are privacy concerns were those who have their DNA on file with these businesses.
Their records are protected. Did you not read the TOS I posted? It claims their clients are protected. I'd be pissed if the cops showed up on my doorstep under these conditions, asking questions about some remote cousin I have no awareness of. There's a law suit in the works right there, because my lawyer would ask one question: How did you end up on my client's porch?
But you would still need a warrant to search these data bases.
...and you would still need everyone to register their DNA with who, which data base? Since there are more than one...
It still boils down to Muellerism.
It actually falls under warrantless searches. You are cruising data bases without consent of the clients. This information is NOT public as indicated by TOS.

[MisterVeritis]

The DOJ has known about this problem for decades at this point. The 2003 National Institute of Justice's "Report to the Attorney General on Delays in Forensic DNA" laid out the numerous existing problems and provided realistic solutions in the form of 5 key recommendations that should have been followed through on.

All "realistic" solutions involve adding to the bureaucracy and granting it more powers. There is no reason to do that. Send all of the dna samples to the half dozen genetic testing places and see what turns up as leads. It will cost around fifty bucks, one time, per sample.

For those cases where the leads are valuable submit those rape kits through normal police channels. Problem solved.

[MisterVeritis]

you are still searching an entire data base.

So? This is exactly what every other customer gets in exchange for their money.

There are privacy concerns were those who have their DNA on file with these businesses.

What privacy concern?

Their records are protected. Did you not read the TOS I posted? It claims their clients are protected.

And yet nearly every company will give the customer a good breakdown of where their dna originates by percentage per location. Most will also offer the opportunity to be "matched" with potential near relatives.

I'd be pissed if the cops showed up on my doorstep under these conditions, asking questions about some remote cousin I have no awareness of.

How would that be any different than the policd showing up to ask you about a possible relative based on an anonymous tip?

There's a law suit in the works right there, because my lawyer would ask one question: How did you end up on my client's porch?

You are free to sue anybody over anything. You would lose.

But you would still need a warrant to search these data bases.

No. You wouldn't. It is the service the companies are selling to anybody who submits a dna sample.

...and you would still need everyone to register their DNA with who, which data base? Since there are more than one...

No. You wouldn't.

It still boils down to Muellerism.

You have quite an imagination.

It actually falls under warrantless searches. You are cruising data bases without consent of the clients. This information is NOT public as indicated by TOS.

No. It doesn't.

[stjames1_53]

well, again you're not getting it, so I guess I'm done here
I do not surrender privacy between myself and any company. but hey, it's ok, because my DNA is not on file anywhere...........

[MisterVeritis]

well, again you're not getting it, so I guess I'm done here
I do not surrender privacy between myself and any company. but hey, it's ok, because my DNA is not on file anywhere...........

That is true for most people. But there are enough samples available for the companies to make good estimates for one's origins.

I am "getting it" just fine. Submitting the sample can lead to leads. You may think the suspect is black but the dna shows countries and backgrounds in the European Mediterranean. Or it may show something else. Or nothing of additional value at all. It will cost way less than a tip line to get a potentially useful lead.

And all the police are doing is submitting a dna sample for analysis just the same as any other customer would.

[MisterVeritis]

That is true for most people. But there are enough samples available for the companies to make good estimates for one's origins.

I am "getting it" just fine. Submitting the sample can lead to leads. You may think the suspect is black but the dna shows countries and backgrounds in the European Mediterranean. Or it may show something else. Or nothing of additional value at all. It will cost way less than a tip line to get a potentially useful lead.

And all the police are doing is submitting a dna sample for analysis just the same as any other customer would.

Bumped because it is now in the news.