DNA Evidence: From Crime Scene to Courtroom (with Some Time Spent in the Lab)

This presentation includes an overview of the basics of DNA and the DNA vocabulary, crime scene evidence, lab processing and results.  

Topics include: 
    • How DNA evidence might be left at a crime scene. 
    • How DNA evidence is collected, packaged and processed. 
    • The steps taken in the lab in extracting, quantifying and typing DNA results from items found at         the crime scene. 
    • How the results are interpreted and how statistics are used to describe the uniqueness of the results.
    • The use of DNA databases to develop possible suspects.  

Faculty 
Timothy J. Agan, Maricopa County Office of the Legal Advocate (Chair)
Jon Eliason, Maricopa County Attorney's Office
Dana Chapman, Forensic Scientist III - Forensic DNA, Phoenix Police Department Crime Laboratory