The Role of DNA in Forensics and Mass Tragedies
The use of DNA typing for human identification and, on occasion, other organisms has revolutionized the forensic field. Major crimes such as rapes were often unsolved due to lack of evidence. This is no longer the case.
Mass tragedies present unique problems in terms of identification of human remains which are often in various stages of decay and dismemberment. In this case, personal effects if available can help identify an individual. However, in many cases scientists have to resort to relatives of the deceased for confirmation.
A history of the development of forensic DNA methodology will be presented. The latest methodology will be discussed. The use of kinship analyses and its use in mass tragedies especially the World Trade Center disaster will also be presented.