DNA project

Recently in biology class we have been studying DNA and we applied that to the justice system and how people are wrongfully accused of crimes.  We did a few labs to get a feel for this concept.  One of there lab activities was an online program called CSI where we had to find evidence and test it virtually.  We had to solve a fake case and find the real person who committed the crime.  We did another virtual lab and we learned about fingerprint and DNA testing and how the real suspect is found.  With DNA and the theology and knowing of how to test DNA people who have been wrongfully convicted can be exonerated.  There’s one thing that never lies and that’s DNA.

            Our project was based off on studying how people are wrongfully convicted and how DNA helps people who are innocent be free.  We all picked a person to do our project on which is called the innocence project and on that website are names from A-Z of people who have been wrongfully convicted and their stories.  I was assigned the part of the sculpture.  I know what you’re thinking, and no.  Our sculptures were made out of packing tape.  With our partners we used them as models and we taped parts of the body, sticky side up first then stick side down and cut the tape off.  We then put chains on our sculptures and a padlock.  Behind was a video of different slides that my partner made.  There’s one thing that I really like that we put in out project, hanging inside our sculpture was a light.  The light was symbolic the hope he still had in his heart, hope to someday be free and proved innocent and that someday the real person who committed the crime would pay.  The person we chose was only 17 and he was in a prison, after he and his cousin and a friend were wrongfully accused and convicted of taking a woman into a place in the middle of nowhere and raping and killing her.  He spent his entire childhood in prison so next to him we had a cage that my partner welded with money, car keys, and DNA testing materials in it.

            From this project I learned that the U.S. justice system isn’t what I thought it was.  I was very blind to the fact that so many people are wrongfully accused.  I also didn’t realize what a big role DNA plays into our justice system.  I didn’t realize that when police did a suspect line up, they often don’t have the real perpetrator in the line up.  We se these people and our mind thinks it has to pick someone.  I really connected with the art portion of this project because I really enjoy art.  I am very proud of the work I did on this project because I take pride in the projects I do.  I think if I did this project again I would try to find more connection with our project.  I would connect with his personal story of what he went through.