Enormous repercussions as Supreme Court weighs DNA sampling during arrests

[Tonitrus]

When Scalia sides in a dissent with the "liberal" judges...I tend to think that side is worthy of favor.

[Admiral Yi]

If Scalia joined the liberal minority, which liberal joined the conservative majority?

[Kleves]

If Scalia joined the liberal minority, which liberal joined the conservative majority?

Breyer.

[Admiral Yi]

So the two power hitters jumped teams.  Very interesting.

[Razgovory]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

[Barrister]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

[DGuller]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

Which makes very good sense, especially given that with DNA fishing like this you have to be very wary of prosecutor's fallacy.  One in a million match means ten people in NYC would test positive for that open rape case.

[Barrister]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

Which makes very good sense, especially given that with DNA fishing like this you have to be very wary of prosecutor's fallacy.  One in a million match means ten people in NYC would test positive for that open rape case.

We have good experts.

They don't like using the numbers though - they prefer "is a match", "is not a match" and "can not be excluded".  The "Can not be excluded" category covers the one in a million type stuff. 

[garbon]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

Oh Law & Order!

[DGuller]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

Which makes very good sense, especially given that with DNA fishing like this you have to be very wary of prosecutor's fallacy.  One in a million match means ten people in NYC would test positive for that open rape case.

We have good experts.

They don't like using the numbers though - they prefer "is a match", "is not a match" and "can not be excluded".  The "Can not be excluded" category covers the one in a million type stuff.

Another very good practice, IMO.  Giving numbers to people who can misinterpret them is dangerous, especially when the stakes are so high, and honest misinterpretation is so easy to make without solid statistical grounding.

[Razgovory]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

Even if it's a blood relative?  I have family members who... sometimes do not so nice things.

[Barrister]

I found it interesting. 

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

No.

They break it down in terms of numbers - the odds of the sample and the known having the same profile is one in 1,000, or 1 in 1,000,000, or one in 1,000,000,000 (for example).  The DNA experts I know will refuse to call a one in a million chance an actual match.

Even if it's a blood relative?  I have family members who... sometimes do not so nice things.

Unless it's an identical twin (in which case - I don't know what they do) they can absolutely distinguish between blood relatives.

[Razgovory]

Well that's good news.

[CountDeMoney]

I am curious about something: Can DNA tests give off false positives?

The police and lab personnel can still manage to fuck it up with incompetence in a variety of ways just like any other form of evidence, so you'll always have those percentages out there.

[jimmy olsen]

If it's limited to felony arrests, I suppose that limit's better than nothing.