TY - JOUR
T1 - Forensic investigation approaches of searching relatives in DNA databases
AU - Ge, Jianye
AU - Budowle, Bruce
N1 - Funding Information:
informationThis study was supported in part by Award 2019-DU-BX-0046 (Dense DNA Data for Enhanced Missing Persons Identification), awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.The authors would like to acknowledge Dawn Moore Boswell, Christina Capt, Rock Harmon, Brian Hoey, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Christopher Syn, SallyAnn Harbison, and Carole Field for their assistance in providing information on their work.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Academy of Forensic Sciences
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - There are several indirect database searching approaches to identify the potential source of a forensic biological sample. These DNA-based approaches are familial searching, Y-STR database searching, and investigative genetic genealogy (IGG). The first two strategies use forensic DNA databases managed by the government, and the latter uses databases managed by private citizens or companies. Each of these search strategies relies on DNA testing to identify relatives of the donor of the crime scene sample, provided such profiles reside in the DNA database(s). All three approaches have been successfully used to identify the donor of biological evidence, which assisted in solving criminal cases or identifying unknown human remains. This paper describes and compares these approaches in terms of genotyping technologies, searching methods, database structures, searching efficiency, data quality, data security, and costs, and raises some potential privacy and legal considerations for further discussion by stakeholders and scientists. Y-STR database searching and IGG are advantageous since they are able to assist in more cases than familial searching readily identifying distant relatives. In contrast, familial searching can be performed more readily with existing laboratory systems. Every country or state may have its own unique economic, technical, cultural, and legal considerations and should decide the best approach(es) to fit those circumstances. Regardless of the approach, the ultimate goal should be the same: generate investigative leads and solve active and cold criminal cases to public safety, under stringent policies and security practices designed to protect the privacy of its citizenry.
AB - There are several indirect database searching approaches to identify the potential source of a forensic biological sample. These DNA-based approaches are familial searching, Y-STR database searching, and investigative genetic genealogy (IGG). The first two strategies use forensic DNA databases managed by the government, and the latter uses databases managed by private citizens or companies. Each of these search strategies relies on DNA testing to identify relatives of the donor of the crime scene sample, provided such profiles reside in the DNA database(s). All three approaches have been successfully used to identify the donor of biological evidence, which assisted in solving criminal cases or identifying unknown human remains. This paper describes and compares these approaches in terms of genotyping technologies, searching methods, database structures, searching efficiency, data quality, data security, and costs, and raises some potential privacy and legal considerations for further discussion by stakeholders and scientists. Y-STR database searching and IGG are advantageous since they are able to assist in more cases than familial searching readily identifying distant relatives. In contrast, familial searching can be performed more readily with existing laboratory systems. Every country or state may have its own unique economic, technical, cultural, and legal considerations and should decide the best approach(es) to fit those circumstances. Regardless of the approach, the ultimate goal should be the same: generate investigative leads and solve active and cold criminal cases to public safety, under stringent policies and security practices designed to protect the privacy of its citizenry.
KW - CODIS
KW - DNA database
KW - SNPs
KW - STRs
KW - Y-STR database
KW - familial searching
KW - genotyping technologies
KW - investigative genetic genealogy
KW - legislation
KW - privacy concerns
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096639077&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1556-4029.14615
DO - 10.1111/1556-4029.14615
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33136341
AN - SCOPUS:85096639077
VL - 66
SP - 430
EP - 443
JO - Journal of forensic sciences
JF - Journal of forensic sciences
SN - 0022-1198
IS - 2
ER -