Here is a great segment from 60 minutes on genetics, crime and families. Sorry I couldn't put the video into this blog. CBS is one of those big companies that really doesn't get it, when it comes to video online.
The genetic issue is whether a genetic analysis which comes back negative but indicates a near relative may be criminal should be used as a lead to investigate other relatives. The case in point involved a man in prison for 19 years who was found innocent of murder, but the evidence indicated a close relative may have done it.
Some fellow was arguing the evidence shouldn't be used. This seems positively ridiculous.
My instinct is that the UK has it right, use the evidence. The 60 minutes episode is great for all of you CSI fans out there.
The thing that I did find troubling is the implications for genetic privacy in the future not involving crime. suppose that in the future insurance companies etc are not allowed to get access to your DNA record as it may indicate a pre-existing condition, however if they have DNA samples from close relatives, then their may be indicators of the same illness, the law would never be broken technically, but DNA profiling could be used via statistical inference. Just food for thought.
