Evidence Commons^™

Subpopulation Heterogeneity And Statistical Unreliability In Forensic Dna Typing, Nick Craig

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

This paper consists of an overview of the procedures and criticisms involved in current forensic DNA typing. The opening presents a brief introduction to the genetic characteristics of DNA, followed by a review of the typing procedure. The main emphasis of the paper is the criticisms of the current procedure. These criticisms include an attack on the independence assumption and its justification of the use of the multiplication rule in calculating test results. A number of experts have proposed that heterogeneity within ethnic subpopulations may significantly undermine the independence assumption and render invalid the use of the multiplication rule. Others …