Since the dawn of DNA testing in 1985, skin, hair, blood and other bodily fluids have become the most reliable physical evidence collected from a crime scene, especially in a sexual assault. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), contains the genetic blueprint that differentiates each person. Forensic testing determines if distinctive patterns in the genetic material found at a crime scene match a suspect's DNA with better than 99% accuracy (James 2009).
Tommie Lee Andrews from Florida became the first person in the U.S. to be convicted of rape as a result of DNA evidence in 1987, Lee was sentenced to 22 years. Virginia’s "South Side Strangler" "Green River Killer" of Washington State, were just a few murders that were convicted and sentenced during
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“For example, consider a breaking-and-entering that occurred in a residential area. Near the point of forced entry, a knit cap was found which the homeowners confirm was not theirs. Several head hairs were recovered from the inside, one of which had a root with tissue attached, which made it possible to obtain a DNA profile. The DNA profile was used to identify the perpetrator” (DNA Evidence. n.d.).
DNA samples are submitted to a certified laboratory and undergo the following process (DNA Evidence. n.d.):
• Extraction is the process of releasing the DNA from the cell.
• Quantitation is the process of determining how much DNA you have.
• Amplification is the process of producing multiple copies of the DNA in order to characterize it.
• Separation is the process of separating amplified DNA product to permit subsequent identification.
• Analysis & Interpretation is the process of quantitatively and qualitatively comparing DNA evidence samples to known DNA profiles.
• Quality Assurance is the process of reviewing analyst reports for technical