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Trace DNA Profiling in Missing Persons Investigations

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Handbook of Missing Persons

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Abstract

The sources of sufficient quantities of DNA to provide profiles useful in assisting missing persons investigations have expanded over recent years due to improvements in DNA recovery and profiling methodologies. The collection and processing of trace samples should, however, only be contemplated when traditional high quantity and quality samples are not available. Whilst potentially useful in many situations, a trace sample may require application of alternative profiling methodologies, be less likely to provide a full profile, be more likely to be part of a mixed DNA sample that is difficult to deconvolute thus reducing match probabilities, and require greater care during collection and processing to limit DNA contamination risks and impacts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre, Macleod, VIC, 3085, Australia

    Roland A. H. van Oorschot Ph.D., Bianca Szkuta, Timothy J. Verdon Ph.D. & Kaye N. Ballantyne Ph.D.

  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3216, Australia

    Bianca Szkuta

  3. Department of Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia

    Timothy J. Verdon Ph.D. & R. John Mitchell Ph.D.

  4. School of Psychological Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia

    Kaye N. Ballantyne Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Roland A. H. van Oorschot Ph.D.
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  2. Bianca Szkuta
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  3. Timothy J. Verdon Ph.D.
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  4. R. John Mitchell Ph.D.
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  5. Kaye N. Ballantyne Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roland A. H. van Oorschot Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nursing and Health Sciences, California State University, East Bay, San Francisco, California, USA

    Stephen J. Morewitz

  2. Forensic Archaeology and Genocide, Investigation, Staffordshire University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

    Caroline Sturdy Colls

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van Oorschot, R.A.H., Szkuta, B., Verdon, T.J., Mitchell, R.J., Ballantyne, K.N. (2016). Trace DNA Profiling in Missing Persons Investigations. In: Morewitz, S., Sturdy Colls, C. (eds) Handbook of Missing Persons. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40199-7_23

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