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What Every First Responding Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence

NCJ Number
182992
Date Published
January 2000
Length
0 pages
Annotation

This CD-ROM presents a training module that provides police officers with interactive training on the basic information about the identification, preservation, and collection of DNA evidence at a crime scene.

Abstract

The tutorial module presents best practices based on the work of the Crime Scene Investigation Working Group of the National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence. Attorney General Janet Reno established the Commission to achieve maximum usefulness of DNA evidence in the criminal justice system. The background information explains that the recommended practices covered in the tutorial module may not be applicable to all situations or crime scenes and that users therefore should apply local department or agency procedures or applicable laws that govern the use, collection, and processing of DNA evidence. The module presents background information regarding DNA evidence and its use. It also presents interactive scenarios in which the first responding officer enters and makes choices regarding the handling of crime scenes and evidence collection related to homicide, sexual assault, burglary, and violent crime. The training module also includes a test that lasts 20-30 minutes and has 16 questions. Glossary and 15 references

Date Published: January 1, 2000