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Last updated on Tuesday, June 4, 2013
(INDIANAPOLIS) - The United States Supreme Court has ruled that law enforcement is able to take a DNA sample of someone under arrest without a warrant.
The ruling says officers can take a DNA swab inside an arrestee's cheek during booking when fingerprints and photographs are taken.
David Orentlicher with the IU McKinney School of Law says the DNA information is supposed to only be used for identifying purposes.
Opponents believe this DNA information may be used to incriminate a person for a crime other than the one they were arrested for. Supporters say law enforcement will be able to match DNA found at a crime scene with DNA they already have in a database, similar to what they do with fingerprints.
Orentlicher says the challenge is finding a balance between getting the information they need and going too far in the name of public safety.
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