Lecture 14 Forensic DNA Databases

Forensic DNA databases

Tools used for exchanging information among law enforcement agencies to solve crimes.

NDNAD

The first national DNA database established in the UK in 1995.

CODIS

Combined DNA Index System introduced in the US in 1998 for DNA profile comparisons.

Local DNA Index System (LDIS)

The level of CODIS that manages DNA profiles from local police departments.

State DNA Index System (SDIS)

Receives and manages DNA profiles from local labs and allows state-wide searches.

National DNA Index System (NDIS)

The highest level in CODIS that contains DNA profiles from LDIS, SDIS, and federal labs.

Convicted Offender Index

Contains DNA profiles of individuals who have been convicted of crimes.

Forensic Index

Consists of DNA profiles derived from crime scene evidence.

National Missing Person DNA Database (NMPDD)

A database for identifying missing and unidentified persons using DNA.

Rapid DNA technology

Fully automated analysis of DNA samples that generates profiles within 1-2 hours.

Familial Searches

A method used to identify perpetrators by finding close relatives in the DNA database.

High-stringency match

An exact match in which all alleles are matched at each locus.

Moderate-stringency match

A partial match allowing for allelic dropout but requiring at least one representation of each allele at the locus.

Low-stringency match

Allows for mismatches and allelic dropout in the profile comparison.

Kinship Index (KI)

A method that compares the probability of two profiles being related to the probability of them being unrelated.

Identity-by-state (IBS)

A method that compares the number of shared alleles and loci without considering allele frequencies.