A Fully Continuous System of DNA Profile Evidence Evaluation That Can Utilize STR Profile Data Produced Under Different Conditions Within a Single Analysis

• NCJ Number: 253427
• Author(s): Duncan Taylor; Jo-Anne Bright; Hannah Kelly; Men-Han Lin; John Buckleton
• Date Published: November 2017
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2011-DN-BX-K541
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Award: Population Genetic Issues for Forensic DNA Profiles

Annotation

This project explains and derives the models required to evaluate (what the project terms) multi-kit analysis problems.

Abstract

The introduction of probabilistic DNA interpretation systems has made it possible to evaluate many profiles that previously (under a manual interpretation system) were not. These probabilistic systems have been around for a number of years and it is becoming more common that their use within a laboratory has spanned at least one technology change. This may be a change in laboratory hardware, the DNA profiling kit used, or the manner in which the profile is generated. Up until this point, when replicate DNA profiles are generated that span a technological change, the ability to utilize all the information in all replicates has been limited or non-existent. The current project demonstrated the use of the multi-kit feature on a number of scenarios where such an analysis would be desired within a laboratory. Enabling the combination of profiling data that spans a technological change will further increase the amount of DNA profile information produced in a laboratory that can be evaluated. (publisher abstract modified)