Dissolving Boundaries, Fostering Dependencies. the new Forensic Genetics Assemblage

Abstract

New and emerging forensic genetics technologies offer significant insight into personal information, changing the way that policing and criminal justice uses of such technologies are being considered and legitimized. In this article, based on data from Central and Western European countries and the United States of America, we analyze how the compounding, interdependent effects of four such technologies—massive parallel sequencing, forensic epigenetics, forensic DNA phenotyping, and forensic genetic genealogy—facilitate the dissolving of boundaries between forensic and medical, as well as between commercial and non-commercial domains. Mobilizing social epistemology and epistemic culture as dual analytical lens, we argue that we can witness the emergence of an increasingly complex forensic genetics assemblage, fostering dependencies between policing agencies, research scientists, and commercial companies. At the heart of this assemblage lies the transformation of central knowledge claims and distinct roles and responsibilities defining the legitimate application of genetics data and information in policing contexts. The dissolving of boundaries and deepening of co-dependencies within the assemblage encourage increased self-governance between the key stakeholders, to the detriment of the field's societal accountability and legitimacy. The discussion in this article provides a necessary starting point for reframing the discussion of forensic genetics’ governance.