FORENSIC DNA PROFILING A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ASSIGNING LIKELIHOOD RATIOS (PB 2021) Paperback

"DNA testing and forensic analysis are widely regarded as the "gold standard" in forensic identification science. However, there is a significant need for a practical, step-by-step guide that teaches forensic DNA analysts how to interpret DNA mixtures, assign likelihood ratios, and apply these ratios when reporting conclusions. Forensic DNA Profiling: A Practical Guide to Assigning Likelihood Ratios serves as a roadmap for laboratories and the next generation of analysts, offering essential foundational knowledge. Forensic DNA analysis is grounded in molecular biology principles, and when interpreting high-quality DNA profiles from crime scene samples of a single source, results are typically clear. However, many profiles are mixtures containing DNA from multiple individuals, posing one of the biggest challenges for forensic analysts. This book introduces terminology related to DNA profiles and their interpretation, covering topics such as DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), capillary electrophoresis (CE), likelihood ratios (LRs), and population genetic models like Mendelian inheritance and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. It emphasizes the importance of understanding how likelihood ratios are generated within a probabilistic framework, incorporating both semicontinuous and fully continuous probabilistic approaches."