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Implementation of clean techniques to reduce contamination is covered in course: Forensic Biology, Module 1. More information about detailed prevention practices can be found in this module.
Read about detailed prevention practices in course: Laboratory Orientation and Testing of Body Fluids and Tissues for Forensic Analysts.
Reference and Evidentiary Sample Processing
One concern with contamination is that an individual may be falsely linked to a crime. Reference samples are generally good quality DNA samples and result in high quantities of extracted DNA. Many laboratories process samples in a way that isolates evidentiary samples from reference samples during the screening, extraction, and PCR stages. Therefore, the possibility of contaminating an evidentiary sample with reference DNA is avoided.
Additional Online Courses
- What Every First Responding Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Collecting DNA Evidence at Property Crime Scenes
- DNA – A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook
- Crime Scene and DNA Basics
- Laboratory Safety Programs
- DNA Amplification
- Population Genetics and Statistics
- Non-STR DNA Markers: SNPs, Y-STRs, LCN and mtDNA
- Firearms Examiner Training
- Forensic DNA Education for Law Enforcement Decisionmakers
- What Every Investigator and Evidence Technician Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Principles of Forensic DNA for Officers of the Court
- Law 101: Legal Guide for the Forensic Expert
- Laboratory Orientation and Testing of Body Fluids and Tissues
- DNA Extraction and Quantitation
- STR Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Communication Skills, Report Writing, and Courtroom Testimony
- Español for Law Enforcement
- Amplified DNA Product Separation for Forensic Analysts