NCJ Number
25023
Date Published
1974
Length
201 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF FORENSIC SEROLOGY, THE AVAILABILITY OF FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE DATA FOR BLOOD GENETIC VARIANTS, AND THE APPLICABILITY TO CRIMINOLOGY OF NEW BLOOD ANALYSIS METHODS.
Abstract
THE IDENTIFICATION OF GENETIC VARIANTS IN HUMAN BLOOD MAKES POSSIBLE A HIGH DEGREE OF INDIVIDUALIZATION OF SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOUND AT CRIME SCENES. A SURVEY WAS PERFORMED OF THE CURRENT U.S. STATUS OF FORENSIC SEROLOGY, THE AVAILABILITY OF FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE DATA FOR BLOOD GENETIC VARIANTS, AND THE APPLICABILITY TO CRIMINALISTICS OF NEW BLOOD ANALYSIS METHODS UTILIZED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. TWENTY-SIX CRIMINALISTICS LABORATORIES IN THE U.S. AND ONE IN CANADA WERE CONTACTED TO DETERMINE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH BLOOD ANALYSIS. USE OF BLOOD ANALYSIS BY CRIMINALISTS WAS FOUND TO BE LIMITED BY THE UNAVAILABILITY OF THE FOLLOWING: SIMPLE, RAPID METHODS OF ANALYSIS, ANTISERA PREPARED SPECIFICALLY FOR BLOODSTAINS, AND BLOOD FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION DATA FOR THE U.S. POPULATION. BLOOD BANK CENTERS SAMPLED IN THE SURVEY TYPE WHOLE BLOOD PRIMARILY FOR ABO AND RH (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE) AND ARE THUS NOT A PROMISING SOURCE OF GENETIC VARIANT FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE DATA. HOWEVER, SOME LABORATORIES ENGAGED IN POPULATION GENETICS STUDIES DO HAVE DATA ON AN EXTENSIVE NUMBER OF GENETICALLY DERIVED BLOOD CONSTITUENT SYSTEMS. ALSO SURVEYED WERE 20 SUPPLIERS OF ANTISERA AND REAGENTS AND 24 MANUFACTURERS OF EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR BLOOD ANALYSIS. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE WAS CONDUCTED WHICH EMPHASIZED MORE RECENT PUBLICATIONS. A LIST OF SEVERAL HUNDRED APPLICABLE ARTICLES IS INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT. A REVIEW OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGY INDICATES THAT, ALTHOUGH A LARGE NUMBER OF IMMUNOLOGICAL AND ELECTROPHORETIC METHODS OF BLOOD ANALYSES ARE AVAILABLE, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE MORE SUITED FOR USE IN RESEARCH AS OPPOSED TO ROUTINE ANALYSIS IN A CRIMINALISTICS LABORATORY. HOWEVER, SIMPLIFICATION OF THESE METHODS, RESULTING IN SHORTER ANALYSIS TIME AND REQUIRING LOW ANALYST SKILL, APPEARS FEASIBLE. IMPLEMENTATION OF GREATER AND MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE IN THE ENFORCEMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REQUIRES (1) USE OF BLOOD VARIANT SYSTEMS WITH HIGH DISCRIMINATORY CAPABILITY, (2) ANTISERA PREPARED SPECIFICALLY FOR BLOODSTAIN ANALYSES, (3) IMPROVED BLOOD TYPING METHODOLOGY, (4) IMPROVED ELECTROPHORETIC SEPARATION, AND (5) ACCUMULATION OF BLOOD FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION DATA FOR SELECTED SYSTEMS AND PROVIDING MEANS FOR THEIR DISSEMINATION TO USERS. FOR THE APPENDIXES TO THIS REPORT, SEE NCJ-25024. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)