NCJ Number
251509
Date Published
January 2018
Length
2 pages
Annotation
Following an overview of early advances in Rapid DNA instruments, this article reports on the proceedings of a 3-day forum in August 2017, which facilitated discussion about the current status and uses of Rapid DNA.
Abstract
The forum was attended by representatives of law enforcement, various federal agencies, the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), and vendors. The two participating commercial vendors presented their Rapid DNA technologies, with time provided for hands-on demonstrations. Forum participants offered and discussed their perspectives on ways this technology could be used. In addition to questioning FBI representatives about their work with Rapid DNA, law enforcement personnel had the opportunity to converse with forensic scientists from ASCLD. ASCLD is currently working on the development of best practices on how to use Rapid DNA technology responsibly. Some of the applications of this technology mentioned were in pre-processing sexual assault samples, the identification of remains in mass fatalities, and more efficient identifications for border security. The cost-effectiveness of Rapid DNA technology was also discussed, since it costs approximately $100 to $150 to process each sample in addition to the purchase price of the instrument.