Stefano and Silje both presented their latest work in the pre-arranged panel called “Digital Criminology: Control and organized chaos in a ‘digital world’ together with Rosamunde Van Brakel, Belgium, Amr Marzouk, Holland, and Julie Caluwaerts, Belgium. The overall aim of the panel was to contribute to innovative crime and justice scholarship within an emerging field of ‘digital criminology’. This panel addressed themes concerning the use of bodycams by police, surveillance used for environmental crime prevention, genetic forensic evidence, programmable DNA, and criminalization of online activities challenging authoritarian regimes.
Stefano’s presentation was titled “The ethics and perils of programmable DNA” where he discussed the ethics and perils involved in the emerging interfaces between biological and bio-technological systems, based on his ethnographic study of the field of molecular computing. Recent scientific and technological innovations in molecular biology have enabled the rise of molecular computing, a multidisciplinary field that seeks to program molecules such as 262 DNA and RNA to perform novel tasks. Combining biological materials and computational processes has already yielded innovative applications, particularly in medicine and agriculture, but this combination also poses many ethical challenges and potential threats to humans and other lifeforms.
Silje’s presentation “DNA as forensic evidence and a commodity in the light of cultural criminology” discussed DNA as evidence in connection to the commodification of DNA and its role in recent development of investigative genetic genealogy within the police, in the light of cultural criminology. The rise of private DNA companies has led to a commercially driven cultural ideology of the role of DNA in crime cases. It has also created an online mediated construct of individuals’ role and responsibilities in crime control as “genetic witnesses”. This relates to larger discussions of public-private partnerships between the police and private companies, as well as the impact of the national context of legal culture and the general public on innovative methods within the police.
There was a big turnup for the panel and it led to several interesting discussions both during the panel and afterwards. EUROCRIM is a great place to hear about recent and ongoing research, and to network with potential new connections as well as friends and co-workers from all over the world. We look forward to next year’s conference in Athens, Greece!