Mute Witness: Forensic Sketches From Nothing But DNA 68
First time accepted submitter Todd Palin (1402501) writes "Researchers at Penn State university are trying to reconstruct images of faces based only on a DNA sample of the individual. As far out as this sounds, they did a pretty good job at matching the actual appearance of the faces. This is a pretty good start on a whole new use for DNA samples. Imagine a mug shot of a rapist based only on a DNA sample."
Re:If its true then DNA is useless in foresnsics (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem is that this kind of thing makes the police go on fishing trips. Round up everyone who looks a bit like the sketch and ask them for a DNA sample. If they refuse they become a suspect.
The police in the UK have done it that way many times. Ask everyone in the area of a crime to submit DNA samples, often hundreds of thousands. People who refuse to "rule themselves out" by providing a sample are brought in for questioning and investigated, because privacy is no defence in their eyes.