Daily Archives: January 17, 2015

DNA in Detroit
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A recent survey by the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics finds that over 80 percent of Americans support mandatory labels on foods containing DNA, about the same number as support mandatory labeling of GMO foods produced with genetic engineering. Oklahoma State economist Jayson Lusk has some additional details on the survey. If the government does impose mandatory labeling on foods containing DNA, perhaps the label might look something like this:

WARNING: This product contains deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The Surgeon General has determined that DNA is linked to a variety of diseases in both animals and humans. In some configurations, it is a risk factor for cancer and heart disease. Pregnant women are at very high risk of passing on DNA to their children.

The Oklahoma State survey result is probably an example of the intersection between scientific ignorance and political ignorance, both of which are widespread.The most obvious explanation for the data is that most of these people dont really understand what DNA is, and dont realize that it is contained in almost all food. When they read that a strange substance called DNA might be included in their food, they might suspect that this is some dangerous chemical inserted by greedy corporations for their own nefarious purposes.

Polls repeatedly show that much of the public is often ignorant of both basic scientific facts, and basic facts about government and public policy. Just before the 2014 elections, which determined control of Congress, only 38 percent realized that the Republicans controlled the House of Representatives before the election, and the same number knew that the Democrats control the Senate. The publics scientific knowledge isnt much better. A 2012 National Science Foundation survey even found that about 25% of Americans dont know that the Earth revolves around the sun rather than vice versa. Issues like food labeling bring together political and scientific knowledge, and it is not surprising that public opinion on these subjects is very poorly informed.

It would be a mistake to assume that widespread political and scientific ignorance are the result of the stupidity of the American voter, as Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber put it. Political ignorance is not primarily the result of stupidity. For most people, it is a rational reaction to the enormous size and complexity of government and the reality that the chance that their vote will have an impact on electoral outcomes is extremely low. The same is true of much scientific ignorance. For many people, there is little benefit to understanding much about genetics or DNA. Most Americans can even go about their daily business perfectly well without knowing that the Earth revolves around the sun. Even the smartest people are inevitably ignorant of the vast majority of information out there. We all have to focus our time and energy on learning that information which is most likely to be instrumentally useful, or at least provide entertainment value. For large numbers of people, much basic political and scientific information doesnt make the cut.

Unfortunately, this is a case where individually rational behavior leads to potentially dangerous collective outcomes. While it doesnt much matter whether any individual voter is ignorant about science or public policy, when a majority (or even a large minority) of the electorate is ignorant in these ways, it can lead to the adoption of dangerous and counterproductive government policies. In this case, excessive and unnecessary warning labels on food products could confuse consumers, and divert their limited attention from real dangers.

Although Jonathan Gruber was wrong to believe that American voters are necessarily stupid, he was right about the pervasiveness of public ignorance, and the dangers it poses.

Ilya Somin is Professor of Law at George Mason University. His research focuses on constitutional law, property law, and popular political participation. He is the author of "The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain" (forthcoming) and "Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter."

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Volokh Conspiracy: Over 80 percent of Americans support mandatory labels on foods containing DNA

Police can build physical profile of suspect, even if there are no witnesses Until now, genetic samples could only be matched to criminals on record Innocent suspects can be eliminated using new technology, says expert Each test costs 700, and it takes up to ten days to analyse the material

By Martin Beckfor Thed for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 17:47 EST, 17 January 2015 | Updated: 19:34 EST, 17 January 2015

Police are now able to build up a detailed picture of a suspect from the smallest speck of blood left at a crime scene thanks to an extraordinary DNA breakthrough.

New advances in the technology mean detectives will know if an offender is black or white, the colour of their hair and eyes, their height and age even if there are no witnesses to the crime.

Until now, investigators have only been able to match genetic material to records of criminals already in the national database, but the innovation will produce a 'DNA photofit' describing the offender.

Dr Denise Syndercombe-Court, a forensic genetics expert at King's College London, said: 'The new technologies raise the possibility that we won't need an actual eyewitness to a crime in order to produce a picture of how the suspect looks.

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Breakthrough: New adavances meandetectives will know if an offender is black or white, the colour of their hair and eyes, their height and age

Progress:Until now, investigators have only been able to match genetic material to records of criminals already in the national database

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The DNA photofit: Amazing breakthrough means police can tell suspect's colour, height and even age - from a tiny speck ...

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal judge has postponed the Kansas trial of a man charged with assuming the identity of a dead Texas boy, giving the prosecution and defense time to obtain DNA that each side hopes will bolster their case.

While DNA evidence has long been a mainstay in other criminal trials, its use in an immigration-related identity theft case like the one filed against Teodoro Erasmo Luna is rare. Most such cases also don't lend themselves to DNA testing because the government usually doesn't have a way to get a comparative DNA sample.

In this case, the U.S. attorney's office wants to compare the defendant's DNA to the sisters of the child he is accused of impersonating, David Pena.

Luna is charged in a 17-count indictment with aggravated identity theft, misuse of a Social Security number, document fraud, making a false statement on a U.S. passport application, making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, among other related crimes.

The idea to use DNA testing was initially brought up by the prosecutor, and the judge agreed after the defense also asked the court to delay the Jan. 13 trial to allow time to conduct the test and receive results. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten said the DNA testing will help the parties reach a resolution and set March 24 as the new trial date.

Defense attorney Joel Mandelman declined to comment.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson said the case is unusual because Luna still claims to be "a person we know he is not."

"The government has investigated this case extensively, and while it has substantial evidence of the defendant's true identity, much of that evidence is based on the inadmissible testimony of the defendant's true relatives, who appear to live in Mexico, cannot be located or cannot be compelled to come to the United States to testify," Anderson argued in one court filing.

Prosecutors have been unable to locate Pena's death certificate. So they asked the court to allow them to put on the stand the four sisters of David Pena to testify their brother was born in 1967 in McAllen, Texas, and died in Mexico when he was 5 years old. One of the sisters was expected to testify that she had visited her brother's grave, but could not remember the name of the cemetery. Both of Pena's parents are dead.

Luna's defense attorney has objected to allowing the sisters' testimony on the grounds that it was hearsay.

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Feds, defense turn to DNA in Kansas identity theft case