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Forensic investigative genetic genealogy

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Kinship Testing Involving Siblings

March 2018

This webinar aims to improve the knowledge on kinship testing involving siblings, and provides a cost-benefit analysis of practices involving the use of additional reference siblings and substitution of half siblings for full siblings in kinship tests.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 7, 2018.

Evaluating the Use of DNA Analysis for Family Reunification

March 2018

DNA analysis allows for testing relationships (kinship) between two individuals in situations that vary from legal immigration to claimed parentage testing. This webinar focuses on the applicability of DNA testing for family reunification.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 14, 2018.
 

Genes of a Feather Stick Together: Evaluating Linked Markers

March 2018

New DNA analysis kits used in kinship testing may contain loci that are potentially linked. This project will examine if three pairs of exhibit linkage and explore possible solutions for using these loci more appropriately in kinship testing.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 28, 2018.

Investigative Genetic Genealogy: Background and Crime Lab Strategy

January 2020

In this webinar we discussed the theory and development of Investigative Genetic Genealogy, including some ethical and legal considerations raised by this technique.  Additionally, we explored the current status of case investigations, the impact on crime laboratories, implementation strategies, and recommendations for jurisdictions considering applying Investigative Genetic Genealogy to their unsolved cases.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on January 23, 2020. 

Just a Curious Case of Print Persistence

September 2022

In episode two of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification Season, Just Science sat down with Bryan Johnson, the Major Incident Program Manager in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Latent Print Unit, to discuss how postmortem prints can be used to help identify unknown decedents. One of the cheapest, easiest and fastest methods of identifying individuals is through friction ridge prints. However, challenges can arise in cases where trauma or decomposition affect quality of a decedent's hands.

Just Identifying Individuals with Forensic Genetic Genealogy

September 2022

In episode one of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Heather McKiernan, a Research Forensic Scientist at RTI International, and Ashley Rodriguez, a Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, to discuss the use of forensic genetic genealogy in identifying human remains. Oftentimes unknown human remains are recovered fully or partially skeletonized, with no close biological relatives in CODIS to facilitate identification.

Advanced Forensic Genetic Genealogy

March 2024

George Mason University and the National Association of Attorneys General presents the National Center on Forensics Continued Training Plan to provide additional training sessions for more advanced information on the topics covered in the conference. In this training session, Dr. Mark Wilson will discuss how DNA is used to generate data for use in FGG.

This event was hosted by the National Center on Forensics under an award from the National Institute of Justice.
 

Advancing Justice for the Missing and Unidentified Through Research - 2024 NIJ Research Conference

September 2024

Forensic science research is developing essential knowledge to fill in the holes in death investigations, creating new ways to identify challenging skeletal remains. These methods inform cause of death, time of death, and familial relationships to guide investigations, identify suspects, support prosecutions, and bring justice to families.

Forensic Biology Research and Development at NIJ

Forensic Biology involves the collection, study, and analysis of biological material on evidence from crime scenes to provide unbiased, scientific reports for a criminal or civil court case to give a better understanding of the crime that occurred. Historically, one of the earliest forensic biologists was Sir Alec Jeffreys in 1985 using DNA fingerprinting or DNA typing to individually identify humans.[1] He targeted variable...