DNA and criminology future or dead end

1. ‫الرحيم‬ ‫الرحمن‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫بسم‬

3. Presented By
Noha Farid Mohamed Diab
(M.B.B.ch.)

4. Under Supervision of
Prof.Dr. Seham Fouad Abdel-Aal
Professor of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology
Faculty of Medicine – Ain Shams University
Dr. Samar Abdel-Azeim Ahmed
Lecturer of Forensic Medicine and Clinical
Toxicology
Faculty of Medicine – Ain Shams University

5. Introduction
In the past few years, forensic DNA
technology has had an incredible impact in a
number of areas. It has changed much about
the criminal justice systems around the world.
In many cases it changed the view of old and
unsolved crimes. Here, an extensive literature
review of its escalating applications.

6. Aim of the Work
This study aims to :
 Highlight the importance of DNA as a tool in forensic
medicine.
 Review the routine uses of DNA in forensic medicine.
 Discuss the new applications of DNA in forensic
medicine.
 Study the advantages and disadvantages of DNA uses
in forensic medicine.
 Study ethical, social, and legal issues of forensic DNA.
 Highlight the new possibilities for the future of DNA
in forensic medicine.

7. DNA structure
 DNA is a double-stranded helix, with
the two strands connected by
hydrogen bonds.
 Most DNA double helices are right-
handed.
 The DNA double helix is anti-parallel,
so that the 5' end of one strand is
paired with the 3' end of its
complementary strand (and vice
versa).

8. The medico-legal expert is the one who should decide, whether the sample
to be taken or not.
The appropriate authorities and medico-legal experts take responsibility
for maintaining the chain of custody for the evidence.
Personnel collecting DNA samples should have appropriate training,
technical skill, and experience.
DNA Sample contamination:
Contamination by human biological material.
Contamination or loss of biological evidence during transfer.
Microbiological contamination due to humidity or high
temperatures.
Chemical contamination with preservatives such as formalin.
DNA Sampling

9. The National Institute of Justice, (2006) has recommended some
precautions which are:
 As quickly as possible, the scene of the event should be isolated and
secured.
 As frequently as possible, clean gloves should be used and changed.
 Speaking or sneezing on the samples should be prohibited. A mask
must be used.
 Disposable instruments should be used.

10.  DNA samples packaging and preservation:
 liquid evidence, soft tissues, organs, and wet
evidence (if for some reason it cannot be dried)
should be kept refrigerated, including during
shipping.
 Three possibilities of evidence storage exist until it
can be analyzed:
(1) Room temperature, (2) Refrigeration or (3) Frozen
 The evidence storage can be classified into:
 Temporary storage
 Long term storage

11. Development of Forensic DNA
Analysis

12. Forensic DNA Uses
The routine uses of forensic DNA included:
 Bringing criminals to justice and releasing
innocent people from incarceration.
 Identification of a corpse who was murdered.
 Identification of victims of a natural disaster.
 Paternity testing.
 DNA testing for victims of rape.

13. Impact of DNA on Criminology
DNA analysis has significantly improved
police investigations by the following ways:
 Solve the difficult cases where all other
investigative techniques have failed.
 Provide clues where there are no witnesses.
 Reduce the number of wrongful arrests.
 Increase the reliability of evidence.
 Link together cases that otherwise could not be
connected, such as local cases ranging from
breaking and entering to homicide.

14. Development of a DNA database

15. According to Interpol, (2009),
Egypt is one of the countries that have
DNA databases, but this conflicts with
a report of ''National DNA Databases
2011'' that was issued by Council of
Responsible Genetics and mentioned
that the information about entry
criteria, removal criteria and sample
retention in Egypt were unknown.

16. Application of forensic DNA in Egypt
In Egypt, application of DNA as a forensic tool started in
Medicolegal Administration in 1995. In 2012, the number of cases
that were processed with DNA technique was 2752 case. The cases
included identification of the unknown including infanticide cases ,
disputed paternity cases, all sexual assaults and comparison of
biological evidence on crime tools versus that from the victim (e.g.
blood stain on knife) .DNA samples are taken during autopsy as
blood samples on gauze from fresh corpses or bone samples(from
ribs) in case of putrefied bodies. In cases of sexual assaults vaginal
and anal swabs are provided for semen samples (F.Hisham, Personal
communication, December 31, 2013).

17. DNA and Postmortem Interval
(PMI) Determination
 Determination of the time of death upon the
discovery of a possible homicide victim is one of
the most important longstanding problems in the
field of forensic medicine.
 DNA degradation has a well relationship with early
PMI and consequently this degradation can be
used as a predictor of PMI.

18. DNA and Age Determination
Recent DNA analysis is
used for age determination
by using biological fluid
samples that have no
morphological
information e.g. blood
stain.

19. Low Copy Number (LCN) DNA
 Low Copy Number (LCN) is DNA profiling technique
developed by the United Kingdom (UK) forensic
Science Service (FSS) and applied in some countries
since 1999.
 LCN DNA has been specifically designed to test
amounts of DNA below 100 pico-grams. A pico-gram
is one million, millionth of a gram (0.000000000001g
or 1 x 10-12g) (Rose, 2011).
 The samples containing such small amounts of DNA
may undergo LCN DNA-testing techniques developed
to increase assay sensitivity; commonly this includes
increased PCR cycles (e.g., 28 cycles increased to 31 or
34 cycles).

20. Touch DNA
 Touch DNA evidence can be defined as evidence with no visible staining
that would likely contain DNA resulting from the transfer of epithelial
cells from the skin to an object. Forensic scientists can obtain a DNA
profile from as few as five to six cells. Simply, it reads the DNA in skin
cells that are left at a crime scene.
 It should be clear that Touch DNA is not Low Copy Number DNA. LCN
DNA profiling allows a very small amount of DNA to be analyzed, from
as little as 5 to 20 cells. On the other hand, Touch DNA samples are
processed/amplified exactly the same way as blood, semen, saliva etc.
 Touch DNA has been successfully sampled from a variety of items
including gun grips, steering wheels, eating utensils, luggage handles,
and clothing.

21. Fake DNA
 Scientists at Nucleix, an Israeli company reported that
they could, with access to profiles stored in the DNA
databases, manufacture a sample of DNA without
obtaining any tissue from that person.
 Researchers also reported a way of detecting DNA
which has been manufactured – it looks for a lack of
methylation. Methyl groups are found naturally in
genetic code, but they are not found in the ‘fake’ DNA.

22. Rapid DNA Devices
 It had been the dream of the FBI (federal bureau of
investigation) for years to process DNA analysis
using mobile equipment in the field and finally
"Rapid DNA" devices are available.
 There are several applications for
rapid DNA devices, but the one
that has been explored
extensively, is at the booking
station.The media recently
speculated that the death of
Osama bin Laden was confirmed
via this technology.

23. DNA and 3D Portraits Creation
It becomes a reality and not a kind of science fiction
that DNA collected from found objects is used to create 3D
portraits. An American artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg
creates portrait sculptures from the analyses of genetic
material collected in public places. From cigarette butts to
hair samples, she works using random traces left behind
from un-suspecting strangers.

24. DNA evidence is powerful, but it does have
limitations.
 Easily Contaminated
 Degradation of Evidence
 Invasion of Privacy
 Genetic Discrimination
 Missing DNA Profiles
 CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) Effect
 Statutes of Limitation
 Fake DNA
Limitations of DNA Evidence

25. Ethical, Social and Legal Issues of
Forensic DNA
 The collection, storage and use of DNA raises
number of legal, ethical and social concerns that is
probably evident today than any other time in
history.
 For example, retention of an innocent person's
DNA can be seen as an intrusion of personal
privacy and a violation of civil liberties.

26. Forensic DNA in Future Lens
 There are several possibilities for the future of DNA as a
forensic tool:
 The Possibility of Distinguishing between Identical Twins:
Right now, analysis of sufficient DNA can distinguish
among individuals, even close relatives. The exception is
identical twins. This may be achieved by studying the
possibly different parasites carried by twins.

27. Conclusion
There are many uses for forensic DNA testing
and it has extended to all aspects of life. It includes
identification of unknown, missing persons and
victims of mass disasters, paternity testing, sexual
assaults, bringing criminals to justice and releasing
innocent people.

28.  The application of DNA analysis on criminology
has participated in solving cases where all other
investigative techniques had failed. It leads to the
development of DNA databases and innocence
projects. Also, it has been applied to high-volume
crimes and high success rate of identifying
suspects was achieved.
 Finally, future of DNA is still promising and carries
a lot of possibilities .For example, the possibility of
distinguishing between identical twins.

29. Recommendations
 It is highly recommended to follow universal
precautions of DNA sampling, apply the DNA
laboratory standards.
 DNA databanks should include DNA profile
from persons who are convicted of serious
crimes. While those were proved to be
innocent should not have their DNA included
in a forensic DNA databank.

30.  As the incidence of terrorism has obviously increased in
EGYPT, it becomes a demand to have national DNA
database as there is no clear, transparent or accurate
information about activities on this aspect.
 Also, it is highly recommended that a universal DNA
database should be established as terrorists have no
nation.
 Ethical issues should be considered with application of
DNA technology to avoid violation of civil liberties.
 Future of DNA evidence as forensic tool should be
targeted to the help of justice and police investigation by
developing new technologies and methods that will
achieve more accurate results.

31. Thank You