NCJ Number
153914
Journal
Crime Laboratory Digest Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1995) Pages: 18-72
Editor(s)
B Budowle
Date Published
1995
Length
55 pages
Annotation
Two articles address guidelines for a quality assurance program for DNA analysis and notes from the Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods, followed by a special feature on benchmark evaluation studies of the Bulletproof and Drugfire ballistic imaging systems.
Abstract
During the January 1995 meeting of the Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods, a number of proposed changes to the 1991 guidelines were evaluated by the Quality Assurance Subcommittee. The proposed changes were submitted in writing and were accompanied by a justification for each change. Based on the evaluation of the proposed changes and the supporting justification, the recommendations of the subcommittee were forwarded to the entire working group for discussion. A two- thirds majority was required for the adoption of each proposed change. The revisions adopted are in the areas of general considerations for developmental validation of the DNA analysis procedure, laboratory facilities for PCR analysis (extraction work areas), DNA isolation, procedures for estimating DNA recovery, the use of controls, and audits. The Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods was formed to address the development and implementation of forensic DNA analysis methods in public crime laboratories throughout North America. Summaries of the activities of the various working groups are provided. At the request of the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of National Drug Control Policy-Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center organized an independent evaluation of two computer-based ballistic imaging systems named Bulletproof and Drugfire. These ballistic imaging systems use the powerful searching capabilities of the computer to match the images of recovered crime scene evidence against digitized images stored in a computer database. An executive summary of the evaluation report is presented.