Forensic genealogy, bioethics and the Golden State Killer case

Abstract

A case study will be used to examine specific issues of bioethics and forensic science that occur in forensic investigative genealogical searching, which include genetic privacy, discrimination and public safety concerns. The forensic investigative process and various investigative DNA tools will also be described. The Golden State Killer Case (1) will be examined to highlight and discuss forensic ethical issues to develop an ethical framework, as well as provide recommended solutions to pressing public safety and privacy issues facing crime laboratories and criminal investigators. Use of the ethical concept of proportionality (2) will be utilized to contrast and balance competing ethical concerns. Keywords: Forensic science, Forensic ethics, Bioethics, Genealogy, Forensic genealogy, Investigative genealogy, Genealogical searching, Familial searching, Partial matching, Phenotyping, Ethnicity, Ancestry, Forensic DNA, Proportionality