DNA-Analyse

The FAW has excellent experience in the area of vague matching methods and fuzzy searches in databases. In early 1998 the institute realised a DNA analysis application that can be used to support forensic work. Through the facilities of DNA analysis technology any kind of biological material can be used for the identification of criminals. For this purpose the DNA analysis application analyzes data stored in the DNA database for correlating crime scenes with suspects. On the basis of the so called DNA fingerprints the forensic staff can make investigations into the following directions. (1) Find double-identities of persons (by comparing the DNA fingerprints of imprisoned people with the contents of the databases.) (2) Find perpetrator for a specific crime scene DNA-fingerprint (3) Routine-check if an arrested suspect has lost some DNA fingerprints at the crime scene of any unsolved crime, other than that for which he was arrested. (4) Comparison of the crime scene DNA-fingerprints in order to find correlations between the crime scenes. In particular the analysis takes into account degraded DNA-Profiles that could not be uniquely analyzed with conventional searching methods. Furthermore, aspects in the area of international forensic cooperation are regarded.