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Science in court: DNA's identity crisis

It may be the gold standard of forensic science, but questions are now being raised about DNA identification from ever-smaller human traces. Natasha Gilbert asks how low can you go?

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References

  1. Gill, P., Whitaker, J., Flaxman, C., Brown, N. & Buckleton, J. Forensic Sci. Int. 112, 17-40 (2000).

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  2. Caddy, B., Taylor, G. R. & Linacre, A. M. T. A Review of the Science of Low Template DNA Analysis (Home Office Forensic Science Regulation Unit, 2008); available at http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/operational-policing/Review_of_Low_Template_DNA_12835.pdf?view=Binary

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See Editorial, page 325; News Features, pages 340 and 344; Opinion, page 351; and online at http://www.nature.com/scienceincourt .

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Appeal in the case of David and Terence Reed

The Forensic Science Service

FBI guidelines for DNA testing labs

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Gilbert, N. Science in court: DNA's identity crisis. Nature 464, 347–348 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/464347a

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