DNA: A Prosecutor's Practice Notebook

• NCJ Number: 219372
• Date Published: July 2007
• Length: 0 pages
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Training

Annotation

An online training course provides assistance to State and local prosecutors in preparing DNA-related cases for prosecution.

Abstract

This free online training course is offered to State and local prosecutors and includes lessons on investigating cases involving DNA, preparing cases involving DNA, presenting cases involving DNA, special case circumstance, and lab report analysis. Topics covered include: DNA training, about forensic DNA (from history to DNA evidence backlog), DNA databases (Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), NDIS procedures and administration, DNA database hits), reducing the backlog, solving crimes (cold cases and property crimes), identifying persons and victims (missing persons and unidentified decedents, and mass fatality incidents), postconviction testing (recommendations for handling postconviction requests, funding for postconviction testing, defense counsel, laboratory personnel, and tools), tools for forensic scientists (software, standard reference materials, list of three-banded allele patterns, and list of variant alleles), services for laboratories (DNA sample analysis, DNA sample collection kits, NIJ Expert Systems Testbed Project, sequencing unusual STR alleles, quality assurance standards for forensic DNA testing laboratories (FBI), and funding for forensic laboratories), statutes and case law (State statutes, case law, and Federal legislation), and other resources for DNA information (glossary, State and local laboratories, general research resources, DNA and medicine, and DNA and wildlife forensics). The training course is broken down by perspective audiences to include officers/investigators, forensic scientists, officers of the court, crime lab managers, researchers, policymakers and lawmakers, and victim advocates, as well as the targeted audience, prosecutors.