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The defense may assert that the prosecution’s DNA analyst is not qualified to give a statistical interpretation of the DNA results because the DNA analyst does not have a degree in statistics or population genetics.
First, the prosecution must know the Rules of Evidence and case law in their relevant jurisdiction for authority that the DNA analyst is not required to hold such degrees to render a statistical opinion.
Second, the DNA Advisory Board (DAB) was authorized by the U.S. Congress to issue national standards regarding the qualifications of forensic DNA analysts. The DAB Standards require only that the DNA analyst have “course work and/or training in statistics and population genetics as it applies to forensic DNA analysis.” (see Baldwin v. State, 757 So.2d 227 (Miss. 2000).
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
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