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Conclusion
he importance of the role forensic
DNA evidence plays in solving sexual
assault and homicide cases cannot
be overstated. DNA evidence is a
crucial tool used in effective police work
to solve violent crimes. For those who
have been wrongly accused, sentenced,
and imprisoned-sometimes for many
yearsfor a crime they did not commit,
DNA evidence exonerates the innocent
and alerts law enforcement to pursue the
true offender. By convicting the guilty
and freeing the innocent, DNA evidence
truly serves the interests of justice.
Although DNA is a powerful tool, it is
useless to the criminal justice system if
not properly collected, preserved, and
tested. Members of the criminal justice
community must be trained to identify
DNA evidence, to understand its significance,
and to counsel victims on how
valuable it is in apprehending and convicting
offenders.
As technology to test forensic DNA evidence
advances and huge backlogs of rape
kits decline in laboratories nationwide,
crimes will be solved more quickly and
comparisons between known offenders
and unsolved cases will increase using the
FBI's CODIS database.
For too long, victims of violent crime
have been ignored, but the criminal justice
community now has an amazing tool
that will offer victims relief, peace of
mind, and some closure for having experienced
and survived brutal sexual crimes
or the death of a loved one. Victim service
providers, law enforcement, evidence
technicians, prosecutors, and others involved
in bringing justice to crime victims
are at the forefront of the DNA
revolution, and they must strive to educate
the public about the vital role DNA
plays in protecting victims from further
trauma.
Understanding DNA
Evidence: A Guide for
Victim Service Providers |
April 2001
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