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Principles of Forensic DNA for Officers of the Court

Proficiency Testing

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A DNA proficiency test uses biological samples to assess a lab analyst's ongoing competency and the laboratory's ability to produce accurate results.

There are different types of proficiency tests:

  • An external test is created and administered by an outside agency
  • An internal test is created and administered by the laboratory itself
  • In a blind test, analysts do not know they are being tested. In most forensic DNA laboratories, blind tests are not used

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