opinion pieces versus real data

[Spartacus]

good thing for the US "justice" system's public image that DNA can't be used for a lot of gun crimes, robberies, etc ...

http://www.innocentproject.org/Content/530.php
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# Racism continues to be a significant cause of wrongful convictions. While 29% of people in prison for rape are black, 64% of the people who were wrongfully convicted of rape (and then exonerated through DNA) are black. Moreover, most sexual assaults nationwide are among perpetrators and victims of the same race (the federal government says just 12% of sexual assaults are cross racial), but two-thirds of all black men exonerated through DNA evidence were wrongfully convicted of raping white people.

[LargoWinch]

Re: opinion pieces versus real data

good thing for the US "justice" system's public image that DNA can't be used for a lot of gun crimes, robberies, etc ...

http://www.innocentproject.org/Content/530.php

Why is that? Is that for "privacy" and/or fear of abuse?

I recently visited the Forensics facility in Toronto, and to my knowledge blood samples on clothing, guns etc. are being tested.

[Spartacus]

Re: opinion pieces versus real data

if there's only one gun or knife involved the one who does the firing probably doesn't leave any DNA.

A rape generally produces samples that directly clarify the situation.

very few of the Innocence project's cases have been anything other than rape. In the case of rape, the DNA is directly applicable and makes the situation starkly and uniquely clear.

So for crimes other than rape there's
1. lack of DNA
2. interpretation - applying the evidence to the story.

Who was attacked and who was defending? Who was an innocent bystander who accidentally got cut or shot? It's not as applicable (because of the general lack of DNA) and does not uniquely specify guilt or innocence in the same direct way as in rape.

Why is that? Is that for "privacy" and/or fear of abuse?

I recently visited the Forensics facility in Toronto, and to my knowledge blood samples on clothing, guns etc. are being tested.