CRG SPONSORS NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DNA DATABANKS AND RACE

The Council for Responsible Genetics is holding a precedent-setting national event and open public meeting on the impacts of government DNA databanks on racial disparities in the criminal justice system. A unique partnership will be established between science scholars and racial justice advocates to develop a public policy action plan to counter abuses. Sheldon Krimsky (Tufts University) and Tania Simoncelli (ACLU) are CRG board members overseeing the event.

June 19 - 20, 2008
New York University (NYU)
Department of Sociology
295 Lafayette Street
New York City
(Download Flyer)

During an all-day session on June 19, four major papers will be presented and discussed by the scholars leading research on this
issue.

Helen Wallace of Genewatch UK will present a paper on the evidence or reasons that innocent people whose DNA profiles are contained in databases are vulnerable to stigmatization or prejudicial treatment by law enforcement or others.

Troy Duster of NYU will discuss the racial history of DNA dragnets.

Duana Fullwiley of Harvard will address the state of the science on predicting race/ethnicity using genetic markers and the extent to which police departments are actively using DNA Witness or other similar tools in investigations.

Harry Levine of CUNY will analyze how the move toward arrestee DNA testing affects the racial disparities of CODIS (the FBI national DNA databank).

A gathering on the evening of June 19 will bring together conference participants and the public to discuss how these government practices are resulting in discriminatory treatment and erosion of privacy.

A series of breath-taking murals containing the Genetic Bill of Rights by renowned artists C.C. Arshagra and Mariam Muradian will be on display. These powerful works of art symbolize the purpose of this conference: protection of basic human rights, justice and dignity.

The final day of the conference will bring scholars and advocates together to create an action plan for the establishment of a national movement.

For further information, contact Kathleen Sloan at ksloan(at)gene-watch.org.