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DNA should be taken from babies (to fight crime) by DesertRat662006-12-13 10:23:58
  Ignoring the privacy issues for a minute by AndyA 2006-12-13 10:44:24
the maths still doesn't work out.

Given a false positive rate on a DNA fingerprint of 1 in 2,000,000 (a quick google gives the rate as far higher than that) then for every DNA sample you take at a crime scene you will get >100 hits. In practice the number is going to be into the thousands if you have good coverage on your database.

DNA is a great way of verifying that you have the correct person after all the other detective work is done. It is useless as a tool for trawling for suspects.
[ Reply ]
    not really by shminux2006-12-13 10:51:13
      99% of people are too young to commit crimes? by AndyA2006-12-13 11:04:24
        Turn it around.... by Vectorz2006-12-13 11:32:32
          The danger is in starting in the wrong place. by AndyA2006-12-13 11:43:02
            It's a question of awareness... by Vectorz2006-12-13 11:49:01
            Yes, such mistakes are likely to happen at first by Khaar2006-12-13 11:50:59
            It'd have to be DNA & fingerprint by kahuana2006-12-13 13:05:29
              Identical DNA?? by subbywan2006-12-13 13:06:41
                Identical twins (n/t) by psychoi3oy2006-12-13 13:09:33
                  How many of those are there in the world? (n/t) by subbywan2006-12-13 13:13:21
                    Wikipedia claims by MatthewDBA2006-12-13 13:23:07
                      Ok. are there any numbers on how by subbywan2006-12-13 13:32:28
                        I don't know that you could extrapolate by MatthewDBA2006-12-13 13:38:39
                          that's why I was hoping there were numbers by subbywan2006-12-13 13:42:40
                            Lacking a number, I'd venture its the same rate by kahuana2006-12-13 13:55:34
                              It appears by MatthewDBA2006-12-13 13:58:21
                                That makes a difference. by subbywan2006-12-13 14:06:05
          And from those 100 remove the ones... by Khaar2006-12-13 11:47:23

 

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