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[music]
[music]
I'm Cephus Johnson, affectionately known the the community as Uncle Bobby. Of course not
just the Oakland community but across the United States, I am Oscar Grant's uncle.
This project is important to me because of the issue of mass incarceration that's taking
place here in the United States concerning young men of color.
In the summer of 2013 the Supreme Court ruled that anyone can have their DNA collected and
put in a DNA database if they're arrested, even if they're not charged or convicted.
Where have you all been? I've been here for like 30 minutes waiting on you.
Sorry D.
Yeah, we were at Myles' house, we had to catch the end of CSI Miami, it was crazy!
Man, whatever, come on, let's go.
So you guys are really into that forensic science stuff?
Hell yeah, CSI, Cold Case, NCIS, all that stuff. It's hella good.
Yeah, I get that it's entertaining and all that-- you got your suspense and drama, and
your blood and gore right?
Yeah, the blood and gore is kinda gross, but the rest of it's great.
You know that DNA stuff is actually putting more people in jail right?
Yeah, that's the point. Lock up the criminals! Plus, DNA evidence is helping people who are
wrongfully accused get out of jail after years of being incarcerated. It's the great equalizer.
Yeah, you need to watch more CSI, D.
That's where y'all are wrong. DNA based evidence is more complicated then they'd like to make
you think. Just this year in San Jose there was a guy who was wrongfully accused for killing
someone in a robbery based on his DNA being on the guy's body. Turns out, he was unconscious
in the ER during the time of the *** and his DNA was transferred to the scene by the
paramedics who treated both of them that same night.
Wait, so you're trying to say that the DNA evidence actually made it seem like he did
it when he didn't do it?
Exactly. Everybody thinks that because DNA evidence is all "scientific" and stuff, that
it's the ultimate truth. But in actuality there're a lot of pitfalls.
While people of color account for 30% of the US population, people of color account for
60% those incarcerated.
The United States is the world leader in incarceration with 2.2 million people locked up in its prisons
and jails.
But I thought that DNA matches were supposed to help people of color by identifying the
real bad guys when the police are racially profiling. I saw on the news that like 300
black men have been released from prison on account of DNA evidence being released.
That's nothing compared to the amount of people of color who are still in prison because of
forensic evidence techniques.
Wait, wait, you're saying that DNA evidence is keeping people of color in the system?
How does that happen?
Man, CSI and the news. D, you're ruining everything.
Shut up Myles, you know I just want you to know what's up. This stuff is real.
Yeah I love you, D. I'm just playing around.
According to the Burerau of Justice Statistics, 1 in 3 black men can expect to go to prison
in their lifetimes.
Let's take a look at one factor that may contribute to these racial disparities in the prison
system called familial searching.
Aright aright, so have y'all heard of this thing called familial searching?
Yeah, that's what the LAPD used to catch this one serial killer. The Grim Sleeper or whatever?
That dude had some serious issues.
You heard about that too?
Heard about what?
So there's this serial killer, his name's the Grim Sleeper. And it was taking them forever
to catch him. So they used this technique called familial searching. But the problem
was that the DNA that they had in the database didn't perfectly match the DNA that they found
at the scene. But they had a partial match to some of the database DNA. So the police
figured that, you know, he must be related to him or something. So they, like, used the
familial searching, checked out throughout his whole family all the males, and then they
found out that it was his dad who did it, make the match, and boom, case's closed.
Yeah, so the killer's son's DNA lead the cops to him.
That's tight, someone should make a movie about that!
Ok, so that's one case of using familial searching that worked. But check this out...
Wait, you're gonna ruin this one too, D?
Anyway Miles... So the cops have this database that's filled with hell people's DNA. I don't
know, something like over a million people's DNA in Cali alone!
Dang, wait, how do I know my DNA isn't in that thing?
Yeah.
Have you ever written bad check for over $1,000?
No
Been convicted of a drug felony?
No.
Arms possession without a permit?
Nah.
Grand theft auto...
Nah, but I like the game though.
[laughs] I do too.
What about been charged with a felony?
Nah.
Okay so maybe your DNA is not gonna be in that database. But wait, have you ever picked
up a penny off the street? Just kidding.
[music]
Because African-Americans are significantly overrepresented in government DNA databases,
if the national database were used in familial searching about 17% of the country's entire
African-American population could be identified.
So this familial searching thing means that even if your DNA isn't in the database that
you could still be investigated just by association.
Yeah, but Myles doesn't have any family that's ever done time so there's no way that they
could be in the database, right?
See, that's the thing. The assumption is just close relatives; brothers, fathers, even sons.
But, also, it's only genetic males that be tracked using this familial searching. But
familial searching has a very high likelihood of turning up a distant relative and not just
uncles and cousins, but half siblings, half uncles, half cousins. And even that second
cousin twice removed on your dad's grandfather's side.
Wait, wait, wait... What the heck is a second cousin twice removed on your dad's granddaddy's
side?
I don't know but it sounds distant!
So let's get this familial searching thing correct. If my brother's DNA was in the database,
and, like, our dad's half brother or something, left some DNA at the scene, then I, I could
be investigated as a potential match?!
According to recent data, there is a very high likelihood that you might get pinned
as a close relative and that pretty soon, there'll be a mysterious white van with no
windows outside your house and not just you but your brothers and your dad too.
But it's cool cause, like, I didn't do it. They'll just be following me around waisting
their precious time and tax dollars when somebody I'm barely related to, hell, don't even know
left some DNA at the scene!
Come on Myles, are you trying to tell me that you wouldn't mind having the feds all up in
your business like that?
No, I have nothing to hide!
Why do think prisons are continuing to be filled with people of color? It's not because
we're inherently criminal. You said it yourself: police profiling. If the cops are on your
track because some guy you're distantly related to is in the database, you're hella times
more likely to go to jail for some petty stuff that they otherwise would not have been there
for.
Yeah, and you know that database has got to be full of the DNA of people of color. Like
D was saying, they're tracking people who are genetically related and a lot of that
time, that means that the people have similar skin color.
Today, about half the states allow familial searching. Very few have clear politics or
are transparent about the methods they use.
[music]
Wow, they're right. Even if I don't have a record, if I've never done anything, I could
be followed as a suspect? The system is set up for me to fail. My brother was in jail
for a DUI that one time. Could he be in the database? I have so many cousins. They're
DNA could be anywhere. And half cousins, second cousins? Man, I don't even know
who those people are!
Myles, Myles, Myles, hey Myles. You're dripping your ice cream, man!
Yeah, bro.
Alright, I gotta get up outta here. I'll see ya all later.
Later D. Myles, catch ya later my man.
Alright, man.
Take care.
With familial searching, when one group is overrepresented in a DNA database, its members
become targeted for increased genetic surveillance.