300 Journal DNA Testing: Mere Match is not Conclusive Proof Unless Statistics Corroborate

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!uencies in "articular "o"ulations than in the ran#o$ "o"ulation% &t is the DNA $atches at such alleles that $ight be accor#e# too $uch evi#entiar' (eight) if the general "o"ulation fre!uenc' (ere ) use# in calculating the "robabilit' of * % $atch%i+Thecurrent "ractices b' &nter, nationall' Accre#ite# an# -ali#ate# DNA labs are follo(e# to !uote a $atch "rob, abilit' in a state$ent%

.eneticall' ho$ogeneous "o"ulations) (hich are so e/tensive in &n#ia li0e the ethnic grou"s) shoul# be e/a$ine# to #eter$ine the e/tent of variation in allele % fre!uenc'% 1$"hasis is to be lai# that the ob2ective shoul# be to ensure that the "o"ulation bac0groun# of ever' ac, cuse# or #efen#ant or res"on#ent is foun# in the "o"ulation #atabase to #e, fine the li0el' range of allele fre!uenc' variation% The $utation rates of each of the Short, Tan#e$,3e"eat 4ST35 or DNA frag, $ents (hich are anal'6e# for re"orting be calculate#) as the' are ver' crucial for the correct inter"retation of result, $g genetic "rofiles 4the observe# $uta, tional features for ST3s have i$"ortant conse!uences for forensic a""lication such as the #efinition of criterions for e/clusion in "aternit' testing an# the in, ter"retation of DNA "rofiles in i#entifi, cation anal'sis5% The DNA laboratories shall follo( stan, #ar# (ritten gui#elines for the inter"re,

tation of #ata% The DNA laboratories shall verif' that all control results $eet the laborator'+s inter"retation gui#elines for all re"orte# results% 7or a given "o"ulation4s5) the statistical inter"reta, tion shall be $a#e follo(ing the reco$, $en#ations as alrea#' $a#e b' the e/, "ert grou"% These calculations shall be #erive# fro$ a #ocu$ente# "o"ulation #atabase a""ro"riate for the calculation% Statistics $ust be "resente# in Court in a clear an# co$"rehensive fashion% A laborator' "erfor$ing DNA anal'ses such as ST3) 8 ,chro$oso$e or $tDNA t'"ing shall +have+ an# fello( #ocu,

$ente# statistical inter"retation gui#elines s"ecific for such testing% 9aboratories shall follo( a #ocu$ente# "roce#ure for $i/ture inter"retation that a##resses $a2or an# $inor contributors) as seen in ra"e cases% :nce) such "o"ulation #atabases been create# all DNA cases (hich ha# been re"orte# earlier (ith no reference to DNA #atabases be "ut to retesting to reaffir$ the earlier results% &$"le$ent a "rofessional "olic'of"rac, tice to "erio#icall' revie( an# reco$, $en# ne( "olicies of "resentation of a DNA $atch statisticall' in a C0;rt of Law. &t (oul# be goo# i#ea if (e coul# also #ra( so$e i#eas fro$ the gui#elines lai# #o(n b' The Scientific <or0ing .rou" on DNA Anal', sisMetho#s) 40no(n as S<.DAM) (hich enhances forensic biolog' services as (ell as "rovi#e reco$$en#ations to the 7=& Direct>* on !ualit' assurance stan#ar#s for forensic DNA anal'sis5% &t is ti$e that the full use of DNA t'"ing technolog' in &n#ian Courts shoul# co$e to fulfill$ent b' the #evelo"$ent of national DNA #ataban0s or else the DNA e/"erts rua' con, tinue to "rovi#e #a$ningl' incri$inating con, clusions fro$ #ata that coul# be a$biguous or even e/cul"ator'% &n $' -ie() innocent "eo"le are far $ore li0el' to be falsel' incri$i, nate# through such unscientific inter"retation of vague DNA test results than through coin, ci#ental $atches (ith "ersons having the sa$e "rofile% Conse!uentl') & believe that the issue of ho( fre!uentl' a$biguities arise in DNA tests) an# ho( Ju#iciar' (ill #eal (ith the$) #eserve far $ore attention than it has receive#% &n PC3,base# tests li0e ST3 testing) 8 ,ST3 testing or $tDNA testing such a$biguities are even $ore co$$on% Therefore) until such ti$e) co$$on gui#e, lines an# reco$$en#ations for "re"aration of #atabases of all "o"ulations for calculating the "robabilit' of a $atch) li0e that in USA an# 1uro"e) are "ut in "lace) trial Courts shoul# assess DNA test results as an in#e"en#ent "iece of evi#ence against the accuse# an# not as the final (or#%

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=': Dr% Meeta Mohini) A#vocate) 7or$er 9a(% 7ac*&t' at Patna Universit' an# Chana0'a National 9a( Universit') Patna Se/ selection is a $atter of global concern% an# assistance+% Th%e UN .ener*@ *sse$bl' &n the last three #eca#es) @A%B $illion cases of a#o"te# a Declarat*on on the 1li$ination of fe$ale foetici#e have been re"orte# in &n#ia Discri$ination Against <o$en o* N>ve$ber (hile accor#ing to unofficial sources thirt' @C) @DEC a># to i$"le$ent the "nn%c&&>les %set $illion girls have been 0ille# in the last fe( forth therein) Conve*tl:* o* the% 1h$$a*l:n #eca#es% Se/ selection stri0es at the ver' root of All 7or$s of Discri$ination Against of international societ') is con#e$ne# b' the <o$en) @DCD) 4C1DA<5 *a* a#o"*c# on civili6e# (orl# an# is contrar' to the s"irit of Dece$ber @F) @DCD% 7or$o*tonngthe%r$"le, the UN Charter an# Universal Declaration of $entation of C1DA< there &S% a C>$$&tt* on Gu$an 3ights) @D;F 4UDG35% Se/ sel*:::tion the 1li$ination% of %Di*c>nu5@+ltl:n A:g*$st is a s'ste$atic e/ter$inationH #estruction of <o$en% To receive in#ivi#ual co$"la&l !%s b' ne(born girls or fe$ale fetuses

i%e% of a "o"u, b'"assing the govern$ent) the :"tional Pro, lation grou" in (hole or in "art% &t is *5fie o* tocol to the C1DA< *as a#o"te# on :cto> *r the $ost heinous for$s of "ersecution 01 C)@DDD% The &nternational Covenant on C&-ti (o$en as a class% &t is gen#er cleansing in ann Political 3ights) @DEE 4&CCP35 #eclares the garb of $e#ical "ractice:+) has th* at, that ever' chil# has the right to "rotecti*n b' trihutes of cri$e against hu$anit' co$rrutte# fa$il') societ' an# the State%t+&he &nternational #uring "eace ti$es an# $eets the *efinition of Covenant on the 1con*$ic) Social% an# Cu!, % genoci#e un#er the UN Conve%ntl:n )>n Pre, tural 3ights) @DEE) 4&CtSC35 *outa*ns *ro-i, vention an# Punish$ent of Cn$e or .eno, sions for the care an# "rotection ot chil#ren ci#e) @D;F% &n in#ia) se/ selection is "ractise# against econo$ic an# social e/"loitation% The in violation of the #o$estic cri$inal la(s but Declaration en the 3ights otthe Chil# (as is triviali6e# as sociological cri$es to 2ustif' a#o"te# on Nove$ber A0) @DBD (h*!e the UN the act an# shiel# the "er"etrators% &t (oul# Convention on the 3ights of the Chil# 4C3C5 be a "ositive an# encouraging

#evelo"$ent on (as a#o"te# on Nove$ber A0) @DFD% 7or (o$en,s"ecific legislation if se/ selecti>n (ere $onitoring the i$"le$entation of the C3C) a recogni6e# as a cri$e against hu$anit' an# Co$$ittee on the 3ights ufthe Chil# (as,set genoci#e% u" in @DD@% C3C recogni6es that ever' chil# The Prea$ble of the UN Charter) @D;B "ro, has the inherent right to life an# the State shall fesses faith in fun#a$ental hu$an rights) in ensure the survival an# #evelo"$ent of the the #ignit' an# (orth of hu$an beings an# in chil#%f The UN Declaration <orl# 7itforChi*, the e!ual rights of $en an# (o$en% :ne of #ren #irects $e$ber States to reaffir$ their the "ur"oses of the UN is to achieve interna, co$$it$ent to "ro$ote an# "rotect the rights tional co,o"eration in "ro$oting res"ect for of chil#ren% The UN has set Millenniu$ De, hu$an rights an# fun#a$ental free#o$s for velo"$ent .oals relate# to gen#er eI&ualit!+ all (ithout #istinction as to race) se/) la*gu%age an# e$"o(er$ent of (o$en% 7e$ale infanti, or religion%+ The UDG3 affir$s the "rinci"le ci#e an# fe$ale foetici#e violate all the above of ina#$issibilit' of #iscri$ination against international conventions an# #eclarations% (o$en% &t "roclai$* th*t al%@ hu$an% bein*s are Pre,in#e"en#ence &n#ia ha# a series of social born free an%# e!ual $ #*g*lt' *n# %nght*) that legislations #irecte# at restoring the #ignit' of ever'on* <ithout an' #istinction &S entl*le# to (o$en b' changing the social behaviour% =en, all the nghts an# free#o$s set *orth $% th* al 3egulation ??& of@CDB #eclare# fe$ale in, UDG3)3 that ever')one h%as the nght *o hfe Jantici#e illegal% 3egulation -& of @F0A recog, an# that chil#hoo# &S entitle# to s"eCial care % B% Article AB4A5) UDG3 @% Article @) UN Charter E Art+ & A; &CCP3 A% Att*c@e @) UDG3 C: Art:*&: @0: &C1SC3 3% Article A) UDG3 F Art+ & A C3C ;% Article 3) UDG3 % &C e )