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Swabbing Firearms for Handler’s DNA
Author(s) -
Richert Nicholas J.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01766.x
Subject(s) - engineering , forensic engineering , medical emergency , medicine
Obtaining quality DNA profiles from firearms can be instrumental in assisting criminal investigations. Typically, swabbings of firearms for handler’s DNA are conducted on specific regions of the firearm prior to submission to the laboratory for analysis. This review examines and compares 32 cases whose gun swabbings were either analyzed individually according to the specific region which was swabbed, or analyzed collectively by combining the swabbings from all the individual areas. Those firearms whose swabs were analyzed separately exhibited lower DNA yields and consequently fewer loci exhibiting genotypes. Those cases whose swabs were analyzed collectively exhibited higher DNA yields and consequently greater numbers of loci exhibiting genotypes. These findings demonstrate that collective swabbings result in more complete profiles and lead to the recommendation that a firearm be swabbed in its entirety using no more than two swabs.