Examples of DNA Fingerprinting in the Media (TV, News, books, Magazines)
Switched at Birth (ABC)
DNA Fingerprinting came into play in the very first episode of this television series when Bay Kennish, an artistic teenager raised by her home-maker mother and former pro baseball father, studies blood types at school. During a discussion at dinner about her blood type with her parents, her parents tell her how it is impossible for her to have type AB blood when both of them have type A blood. Bay starts questioning her appearance and comparing it against her parents, and eventually she asks her parents to go through genetic testing with her. After the DNA analysis, it is confirmed that Bay is not biologically related to her parents and that she was switched at birth.
DNA Fingerprinting came into play in the very first episode of this television series when Bay Kennish, an artistic teenager raised by her home-maker mother and former pro baseball father, studies blood types at school. During a discussion at dinner about her blood type with her parents, her parents tell her how it is impossible for her to have type AB blood when both of them have type A blood. Bay starts questioning her appearance and comparing it against her parents, and eventually she asks her parents to go through genetic testing with her. After the DNA analysis, it is confirmed that Bay is not biologically related to her parents and that she was switched at birth.
America's Most Wanted
On one very special episode of America's Most Wanted, DNA testing was performed on the convicted criminals and the results were revealed on the episode to see whether or not the convicted criminal were actually guilty or if they were actually innocent. On this episode,they had segments where they showed the convicts' reactions to the results and also included interviews with the prisoners, victims' families and legal counsellors. The program also showed a historical cases where individuals have been exonerated or incarcerated because of the DNA testing that was done. Experts were also present to explain DNA testing methods and some of the most recent developments in this field of study.
On one very special episode of America's Most Wanted, DNA testing was performed on the convicted criminals and the results were revealed on the episode to see whether or not the convicted criminal were actually guilty or if they were actually innocent. On this episode,they had segments where they showed the convicts' reactions to the results and also included interviews with the prisoners, victims' families and legal counsellors. The program also showed a historical cases where individuals have been exonerated or incarcerated because of the DNA testing that was done. Experts were also present to explain DNA testing methods and some of the most recent developments in this field of study.
CSI: NY
On this episode of CSI: NY, it is shown how hard it can be to test for DNA in a criminal investigation with a variety of obstacles in the way. Sawdust is found as evidence on scene, and the DNA of the tree is extracted to find the type of tree it is. This could lead to find where the suspect was previous to the crime scene. A problem arises where there are chemicals in the tree's DNA that make it difficult to analyze the sample to determine the tree's species. Another method to examine the DNA is used.
On this episode of CSI: NY, it is shown how hard it can be to test for DNA in a criminal investigation with a variety of obstacles in the way. Sawdust is found as evidence on scene, and the DNA of the tree is extracted to find the type of tree it is. This could lead to find where the suspect was previous to the crime scene. A problem arises where there are chemicals in the tree's DNA that make it difficult to analyze the sample to determine the tree's species. Another method to examine the DNA is used.
Global News: 16x9 Behind the Yellow Line: Real CSI
In this documentary, a RCMP forensic unit in Toronto is followed over 3 months at a real crime scenes. Several professionals are a part of each time, working together to solve the puzzle. At each crime scene they spend hours finding evidence and examining it. Any evidence that is found is photographed and carefully handled where it is later analyzed. They recreate the crime scene with information they have discovered and use essential techniques like fingerprinting, DNA analysis and blood splatter analysis to determine how the crime occurred.
In this documentary, a RCMP forensic unit in Toronto is followed over 3 months at a real crime scenes. Several professionals are a part of each time, working together to solve the puzzle. At each crime scene they spend hours finding evidence and examining it. Any evidence that is found is photographed and carefully handled where it is later analyzed. They recreate the crime scene with information they have discovered and use essential techniques like fingerprinting, DNA analysis and blood splatter analysis to determine how the crime occurred.