ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE INDEBTED TO CHARLES DARWIN

Charles Darwin was born 200 years ago and his treatise on natural selection and evolution in "On the Origin of Species" is now 150 years old. His "Descent of Man" (1871) has been widely misinterpreted as holding that man's ancestors were apes. [Actually, that theory had been put forth earlier in Thomas Huxley's "Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature" (1863).] Darwin's theory of evolution has led to the establishment of DNA fingerprinting, an invaluable tool in the administration of justice.

Needless to say, fundamentalist Christians have been up in arms ever since Darwin's theory came into play. Social conservatives on the Texas State Board of Education are now tinkering with the public school science curriculum by trying to insert the teaching of "intelligent design" (creationism) alongside Darwin's theory as an alternative to evolution for students to puzzle over. Several other states have already inserted this foolish dilution of science into biology courses.

Eric Berger's story, "Scientists Use Darwin Theory to Develop New Technologies," in yesterday's Houston Chronicle included the application of evolution in the establishment of DNA fingerprinting as now employed by law enforcement. Here is part of Berger's story:

'Darwin’s observations in A Naturalist’s Voyage Around the World eventually led to the notions of natural selection and evolution, theories he laid out in On the Origin of Species, the 150th anniversary of which comes in December.

Thanks to the discovery of DNA’s structure in 1953 and the mapping of the human genome half a century later, biologists now say they understand the mechanisms by which genes mutate and species evolve. And they’re using that knowledge in increasingly powerful ways.

One of the first and most well-known uses of evolutionary theory has come in law enforcement.

Among the 3 billion or so chemical bits, or letters, in human DNA are those that change slowly and those that mutate rapidly. Scientists realized that short segments of DNA vary greatly from person to person as a result. The finding gave rise to the concept of DNA fingerprints to identify individuals.

By the late 1980s, scientists were testifying in court about the reliability of DNA evidence to convict criminals. Such evidence has become a powerful forensic tool.

"It’s had a tremendous impact on criminal justice, not the least of which has been to free a lot of innocent people," said Rusty Hardin, now a defense lawyer who in 1988 prosecuted the first Harris County case that used DNA evidence.'

Berger's story also provided information on how Darwin's theory has led to the creation of smarter computer programs and advances in the field of medicine. Thanks to the theory of evolution, DNA fingerprinting is used to establish the guilt of criminals and to exonerate the innocent. For that technology, the administration of justice is indebted to Charles Darwin.