DNA Fingerprint - Your Unique Footprint

DNA fingerprints are often compared normal fingerprints. Every single person on earth has a unique DNA fingerprint.

DNA fingerprints can't be altered or changed like normal fingerprints and are much more reliable for identification. Almost every cell in the human body has DNA in it so it is great for identifying people living or dead. The only exception to this rule is identical twins. They came from the same parents at the same time and have the exact same genetic material.

DNA fingerprinting is becoming a very widespread practice throughout the world. It has a tremendous amount of applications such as medical use, identification purposes, and law enforcement use. By collecting various DNA fingerprints, it allows the screening of inherited diseases and can help police and other agencies catch criminals with much more accuracy than ever before. The rate of people being wrongfully accused is diminishing as this technology flourishes.

By collecting DNA fingerprints from people who all suffer a similar inherited disease, researchers are gaining better insight on why they carry this disease and why it keeps getting passed on as people have children. This area of study is growing very rapidly as inherited diseases are slowly being tracked to specific areas of the DNA strand itself. The goal is to develop a way to treat these diseases in fetuses before they are born so they can live normal and healthy lives. Our technology isn't quite there yet so the best we can do is prepare the parents for having a child with one of many different inherited diseases. The common tests are for hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, anemia, and many others. Alzheimer's research involving DNA is growing as more and more researchers are finding out that there are many different types of this disease and some might be based on genes that are passed down the generations.

DNA fingerprints are helping our justice systems by creating an almost foolproof means of evidence collection. If a man rapes a woman, he leaves his DNA behind and a conviction is almost guaranteed. This saves the country an incredible amount of money each year because the need for a jury trial which is time consuming and expensive can be eliminated in many of these cases. There isn't much point to try to weasel out of a conviction when evidence of this type is being presented.

The armed forces have started their own DNA fingerprint database to help keep track of soldiers as well. If there is a war going on, there are bound to be casualties and it is easier to use DNA to find out who everyone is as opposed to dental records or the traditional dog tag. This also helps when soldiers are missing in action. When they are found, a DNA test is a sure way to know exactly who they are, what platoon they are from, and where they were supposed to be when they went missing.

DNA fingerprinting might eventually become a standard practice for everyone on Earth or at least in the countries that are technologically advanced. This would make many unsolved crimes become solved immediately but at the same time could be considered a violation of basic privacy rights. There are battles raging on this topic today and are likely to continue for a very long time.

Overall, the benefits of DNA fingerprinting outweigh the negative aspects. There is much research to do and many crimes to solve. DNA fingerprinting is the future and if you live in a hi-tech area, you might already have your DNA on file somewhere!