DNA Profile Evidence and the Inference Chart Concept (From DNA and Criminal Justice, P 61-67, 1990, Julia Vernon and Ben Selinger, eds. -- see NCJ-127660)

• NCJ Number: 127666
• Author(s): E Magnusson; B Selinger
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

The Inference Chart is a device used to present forensic evidence in a way that is logical and intelligible to a lay jury. The Chart, designed to remove confusion caused by technical language or conflicting expert testimony, can also provide safeguards against incompetence in laboratory techniques, errors in test results, reasoning errors, inadequate statistics, and misleading uses of scientific information.

Abstract

The Inference Chart is expected to be particularly useful in cases using DNA fingerprinting. The principles upon which the Inference Chart concept is based allow science and law to be mixed and justice to be served. In the case of DNA profiling, the Inference Chart allows jurors to determine whether proficiency testing and quality control were sufficient, whether preconditions for sample and probe were met, whether control conditions were satisfied, whether the profile met standard criteria, whether the statistics were adequate, and what the probabilities of random inclusion were. Quality assurance through independent checking is vital to guard against the errors in methodology or logic to which DNA fingerprinting is prone. 2 figures and 3 references