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Investigators and laboratory staff can deposit their own DNA during collection, handling, and analysis of samples. One of the most common sample contamination events is the transfer of DNA from an individual who comes into contact with the evidence. The most probable means of depositing DNA from investigators and laboratory staff onto a sample is from sloughed skin cells and saliva spray. Individuals handling evidence should avoid talking or sneezing over evidence, and gloves should be worn so that sloughing of cells onto the evidence is prevented.
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