Assignment Guidelines:

You have been asked to write a presentation for your local legislative body on post-conviction deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing. Prisoners and various civil rights groups have lobbied for prisoners to have access to DNA testing to prove their innocence. Some states have been supportive of this trend, and others have not. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a prisoner does not have a right to a DNA test. Should prisoners have a right to DNA testing after they have been convicted?

Research DNA testing with regard to corrections and prisoners’ rights. 

Focus your discussion on the following:

• According to the U.S. Supreme Court, prisoners do not have the right to DNA testing. Do you believe that this is the right decision?
  • If you disagree with the Court, what do you think about the necessary resources to accommodate prisoners and their DNA testing requests? Think about costs, manpower, time, and so on.
  • If you agree with the Court, what do you think about the inmates who may be innocent and may have been wrongfully convicted?

Reference

District Attorney’s Office for the Third Judicial District et al. v. Osborne, 129 S.Ct. 2308 (2009).