Number 1 in a series on DNA by Nancy A. Nolette, VFA #1702

What’s in it for me?   Is a reasonable question when you are considering something unknown and new.  Well, I am defining “it” as my DNA or those pesky 23 genes from each of your parents that came at birth.

I am sure you have been told that you look or act like one of your parents, an aunt, an uncle, a grandparent or other close relative.  I have frequently.  Have you ever wondered how you came by those traits?  In the past twenty-five years significant research has evolved to answer a lot of our questions on who we are, where we came from and what influences our future. 

I will begin by mentioning the prominent agencies that collect DNA, our genetic code:  23andMe, AncestryDNA, Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage and GEDmatch.  Today the prices for the analysis kits are reasonable.  Earlier versions included a hidden premium paid for researchers to collect DNA from obscure peoples who lived away from populated areas.  By enlarging the DNA sampling many unique links were identified from their participation in this collection process.

Once you get a kit, you swab your cheek and send the tube to the processing center.  Weeks later you receive the results of your genetic code:  mtDNA for women and Y-Chromosome for men.  Mothers pass their mtDNA (XX) to all her children while fathers pass their Y-Chromosome (XY) only to their sons.  Brothers and sisters share similar genetics at a potential 50% match and can be identified as close relatives.  Only identical twins, not fraternal twins, have the same genetic codes.

Today one privately owned DNA coding, analysis and storage service releases any genetic information to law enforcement.  In the past this genetic coding was only released for identities for homicides and sexual assault cases.  Times have changed due to the overwhelming number of cold cases of millions of victims, including families and friends, of violent crime victims and unidentified remains.  Now GEDMatch users must OPT IN their permission to allow law enforcement access to their DNA coding.  This requirement has closed off access to 95% of the database and made DNA crime solving much more difficult.

To understand, how genetic genealogy helps in solving cases is simple.  It does not identify suspects. Those who OPT-IN may never know if their information has been used to catch a suspect.  One reason law enforcement does not contact users is the risk of alerting a potential suspect.  Law enforcement has no special access as they can only use the system and its features as other users yet only see matches with the OPT-IN kits.  This process gives law enforcement a person or persons of interest where none existed before.  Then they must use the traditional investigative techniques to identify and arrest a suspect.

Now, do I OPT IN or not?  I always thought that if I had nothing to hide why not?  I am thinking otherwise.  We all have an expectation and right to privacy.  Often I hear that if we willingly give up our rights, they will eventually be eroded and then non-existent.

However, my strong sense of justice overrides my privacy rights.   I am in.

The series continues. . .