DNA Forensics and Kids Don’t Mix
Learning to analyze DNA and other pieces of evidence from a crime scene may encourage children to commit their own crimes. Criminal justice professor James Alan Fox of Northeastern University believes that bringing “violence” into the school nudges some kids’ simple curiosity into criminal intent.
Last Friday, sophomore John Odgren of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Massachusettes stabbed classmate James Alenson to death. Odgren apparently exhibited an interest in forensics and was part of a crime scene investigation summer program at Mount Community College two years ago. Some believe he had an unhealthy obession with police, guns, and death.
I even know some schools that use the hypothetical situation: someone shoots the principal.
You’ve got to get students interested in science without having to resort to the dark side. It’s ill-advised to use violence as a way to spark young children’s interest in things like science.
I don’t understand why people insist on treating children like dummies. Even my four-year-old can tell the difference between what’s pretend and what’s real. High schoolers should know what is right and what is wrong. Stabbing someone is definitely WRONG. There’s a lot more going on with a kid who’d injure or kill someone deliberately than a few courses and books on forensic science.
By the way, CourtTV.com has a forensics lab interactive game where you can see what scientists do behind the scenes. The DNA evidence corner on the first floor has an uncomfortable looking guy talking about DNA typing technologies. Hardly anything so stimulating that it would make someone violent. But, of course, I’m not responsible for what you decide to do with your newly found knowledge.
Tags: dna, forensics, genetics, genes, crime, criminals, john odgren, james alenson, james alan fox, health
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POSTED IN: Genetics and the Law
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4 opinions for DNA Forensics and Kids Don’t Mix
Snowy
Jan 24, 2007 at 8:30 am
Disturbed kids are drawn to such subjects, like sociopath children often enjoy setting fire to things, not really necessary to blame bonfire night if you see what I mean.
I, too, am fascinated by how forensics work, but I promise you I will not be planning any murders…well except my ex-husband, but that’s another story.
sharon harvey
Jul 11, 2007 at 5:00 am
My prep/1 group have just done fingerprints and will be doing other forensic investigations. If we link it to crime I hope it will be in a positive way, i.e. a lost pen that looks like every pen issued, how do we reunite the item with its true owner. This will use fingerprints,chromatography, bite marks on the end of the pen etc. Starting forensic science will not, for these kids at least, go anywhere near the ‘dark side’.
chloe
Nov 7, 2007 at 7:53 am
can I just say one thing about that, I am a “kid” and I love forensics. Why would a kid get a kit on forensics, just like “Whodunit” and then want do commit a crime, they just got something to do with how to catch people that do that, Why would they want to do the complete oppiset of what their parents would have got them for a reason, witch I would think would be because they know teir childern are interrsted in? JUst asking.
kyle godfrey
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:19 am
i love watching csi & i’m only 10 & i would love to have a chance to solve a crime on a kid choce
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