February 4, 1986

Because of an editing error, a Washington dispatch yesterday about a ruling by a Federal appeals court concerning false-arrest suits misidentified the court involved. It was the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

A NEW biological test promises to change radically the way criminologists track down murderers, rapists and muggers. Virtually foolproof identification of any person is now believed possible through the powerful new laboratory test that detects genetic ''fingerprints'' in tiny samples of blood, semen and hair roots. The test can help solve mix-ups of newborn babies in hospitals, aid in identify lost people, help determine parentage and alter immigration procedures. The test may also provide scientists with new methods to detect hereditary disorders and to determine the functions of large portions of the genetic material DNA in the body. The test is called DNA fingerprinting. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is contained in every cell and is different in each person.

Concern that the troubled Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries might resort to raising its oil production caused prices to plunge again on the world market yesterday. Both crude oil and petroleum products closed at their lowest levels in seven years for the second consecutive trading session. The day's drop in prices, which included some of the sharpest one-day declines in memory, reflected mounting doubts among oil analysts and traders that OPEC would be able to repair widening fissures within the organization and stop the price slide. ''People have just thrown in the towel,'' said Peter C. Beutel, assistant director of the energy group at Rudolf Wolff Futures Inc. ''Nobody wants to buy because everybody's seen prices go lower, lower, lower.''

An article on Saturday about possible causes of the destruction of the Challenger's solid-fuel booster rockets misstated the location and role of USBI Booster Production Company, formerly United Space Boosters Inc. The company, which has headquarters in Titusville, Fla., assembles the nose cone and other non-fuel-burning parts of the booster rockets.

Former Justice William C. Brennan was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison, given five more years on probation and fined $209,000 for taking bribes to fix criminal cases while serving on the State Supreme Court in Queens. He will be eligible for parole in 20 months. The prison sentence, handed down in United States District Court in Brooklyn by Judge Jack B. Weinstein, disappointed Federal prosecutors, who had asked for a stiffer penalty to pressure Mr. Brennan into cooperating with current investigations into municipal corruption in the city. Raymond J. Dearie, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District, said he was ''somewhat surprised,'' and ''obviously we are somewhat disappointed'' at the sentence.