Following are articles published by the National Institute of Justice
The Forensic Microbiome: The Invisible Traces We Leave Behind
“Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him.” Edmond Locard (1877-1966), forensic science pioneer
Using Forensic Intelligence Analysts to Drive Gun Crime Investigations
New Methods for Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis of Damaged and Mixed DNA Samples
Identifying individuals through next generation DNA sequencing may involve degraded or mixed samples. A researcher has developed a technique to make fragmented DNA more readable, and a method to help pull individual profiles from mixed samples.
Notes From the Field: Expanding the DNA Database to Solve Cold Cases
Skin Microbe Colonies Used for Human Identification
Humans transfer trace signatures of unique colonies of microbes on our skin to objects we touch. The tiny size of that signature make it difficult for investigators to identify an individual. Research now has made that identification more likely.
Advancing the Statistical Interpretation of Forensic DNA Data Samples
Key questions have arisen about how DNA data are to be interpreted statistically. Two NIJ grants have supported research that has far-reaching implications for testing hypotheses using DNA evidence and expressing confidence in the conclusions reached.