Frequently Asked Questions

You can locate information about the collection of DNA to assist in the identification of missing persons on the DNA Analysis and CODIS Searching section of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) website.

For additional information, contact NamUs at 833-872-5176 or via email.

Information on the use of DNA to exonerate inmates postconviction can be found on the Wrongful Convictions and the Exonerations Resulting from NIJ Postconviction DNA Testing Funding sections of the National Institute of Justice website.

Through grant funding, the Office of Justice Programs has provided millions of dollars to state and local forensic science laboratories to increase casework capacity, reduce backlogs, and improve quality. For example, grants obtained through the Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence program can be used to help defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing for violent felony offenses in which actual innocence might be demonstrated.

DNA has been used for forensic examinations since the late 1980s, with DNA testing advancing significantly since that time. Please view the following resources and websites to learn more about the use of DNA:

• National Institute of Justice (NIJ): Forensic DNA: This section of the NIJ website provides extensive information on DNA, including NIJ-sponsored research and development projects.
• Short Tandem Repeat DNA Internet Database (STRBase): This website brings together the abundant literature on forensic DNA.
• American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS): This organization is committed to the promotion of education and the elevation of accuracy, precision, and specificity in the forensic sciences.
• International Association for Identification (IAI): The IAI is the largest and oldest forensic organization.
• PubMed: PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 17 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles dating back to the 1950s and includes links to full-text articles and other related resources.

Additionally, a search of the Abstracts Database will also provide you with resources related to DNA and forensics.

The Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, blends forensic science and computer technology into a tool for linking violent crimes. It enables federal, state, and local forensic laboratories to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking serial violent crimes to each other and to known offenders. Using the National DNA Index System of CODIS, the National Missing Persons DNA Database also helps identify missing and unidentified individuals.

Learn more on the CODIS section of the Federal Bureau of Investigation website.

Please visit the following websites to view research that has been conducted related to the use of DNA:

• National Institute of Justice (NIJ): Forensic DNA: This section of the NIJ website provides extensive information on DNA, including NIJ-sponsored research and development projects.
• Short Tandem Repeat DNA Internet Database (STRBase): This website brings together the abundant literature on forensic DNA.
• American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS): This organization is committed to the promotion of education and the elevation of accuracy, precision, and specificity in the forensic sciences.
• International Association for Identification (IAI): The IAI is the largest and oldest forensic organization.
• PubMed: PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 17 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles dating back to the 1950s. The PubMed site includes links to full-text articles and other related resources.

Additionally, our Forensic Sciences Special Feature and a search of the Abstracts Database will also provide you with resources related to DNA and forensics.

Information on required qualifications, education and training for careers in forensic science can be found from:

• The National Institute of Justice Special Report Education and Training in Forensic Science: A Guide for Forensic Science Laboratories, Educational Institutions, and Students.
• The Choosing a Career section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences website provides information about the different types of forensic scientists, salaries, and educational requirements.
• The U.S. Department of Labor resource, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Forensic Science Technicians.

You may also be interested in viewing A Simplified Guide to Forensic Science, a website created by the National Forensic Science Technology Center. This website covers the core concepts, capabilities and limitations of key forensic science disciplines.

Information on the use of DNA to solve property crimes can be found in the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)-sponsored publication, The DNA Field Experiment: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Use of DNA in the Investigation of High-Volume Crimes; in the NIJ Journal article, DNA Solves Property Crimes (But Are We Ready for That?); and the DNA Field Experiment section of the CrimeSolutions website.

Visit the Using DNA to Solve Property Crimes section of the NIJ site for additional information.

Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement Training, a publication from the National Forensic Science Technology Center was developed by crime scene experts and provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide that leads law enforcement through the crucial, first phase of the justice process. Additional resources are available on the Crime Scene Investigation: Guides for Law Enforcement section of the National Institute of Justice website.

Information on the use of DNA to solve cold cases can be found in the following National Institute of Justice (NIJ) articles and resources:

• National Best Practices for Implementing and Sustaining a Cold Case Investigation Unit
• Solving Cold Cases with DNA: The Boston Strangler Case
• Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases: Special Report

Also watch the following NIJ videos:

• The Impact of National Institute of Justice's Solving Cold Cases with DNA Program
• The Importance and Impact of Cold Case Units

Additionally, with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Training and Technical Assistance Program has produced the following materials:

• Utilizing DNA Evidence to Investigate Cold Case Sexual Assaults through CODIS
• Prioritizing Cold Case CODIS Hit Follow-up: Strategies for Sexual Assault Investigators

The Online Training Courses listed on the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) website are free of charge.

See the Events section of the NIJ website to learn more about the online trainings and to view information about additional training opportunities that are available concerning the collection and use of DNA evidence.