The purpose of this study is to investigate the probative value of collecting and testing samples outside traditional cavity swabs from the victim’s oral, vaginal (penile), and rectal areas in sexual assault collection kits. Swabs collected from various areas of the victim’s body, such as inner thighs and breasts, can yield quality DNA profiles that are often better than the profiles from cavity swabs. In this study, we refer to these swabs from various areas of the victim’s body as “dried stain swabs” and the swabs from the victim’s cavities as “OVRs”. Sexual assault evidence can be daunting, time consuming, and a bottleneck regarding DNA analysis. Some laboratories have implemented protocols to streamline processing of sexual assault evidence that calls for the testing of OVRs over dried stains to prevent backlog. However, this method leaves potentially probative samples untested. Our laboratory currently prioritizes “intimate samples” when selecting items from a sexual assault kit to carry forward for DNA analysis. These intimate samples could be OVRs, dried stains from covered areas of the victim’s body, and even the victim’s underpants. A review of sexual assault cases was done to determine the importance of evidence submitted outside traditional cavity swabs. All samples were processed using Promega technology, including extraction with DNA IQTM on Maxwell®16 or Maxwell®48, quantification with PowerQuant®, and amplification with PowerPlex® Fusion. Profiles developed from OVRs, dried stains and victim’s underpants were evaluated to determine if DNA foreign to the victim was present and if there was enough foreign DNA to use for comparisons. Our review showed dried stain samples yielded the most usable profiles when compared to OVRs and underpants. Of the cases where dried stains were submitted, 78% of those cases yielded usable profiles from the dried stain samples. Only 48% of the cases where OVRs were submitted produced usable profiles. Furthermore, 49% of all the CODIS profiles entered from the kits evaluated came from dried stains alone. This study gives compelling evidence that testing samples outside of cavity swabs is beneficial when processing sexual assault collection kits.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the probative value of collecting and testing samples outside traditional cavity swabs from the victim’s oral, vaginal (penile), and rectal areas in sexual assault collection kits. Swabs collected from various areas of the victim’s body, such as inner thighs and breasts, can yield quality DNA profiles that are often better than the profiles from cavity swabs. In this study, we refer to these swabs from various areas of the victim’s body as “dried stain swabs” and the swabs from the victim’s cavities as “OVRs”. Sexual assault evidence can be daunting, time consuming, and a bottleneck regarding DNA analysis. Some laboratories have implemented protocols to streamline processing of sexual assault evidence that calls for the testing of OVRs over dried stains to prevent backlog. However, this method leaves potentially probative samples untested. Our laboratory currently prioritizes “intimate samples” when selecting items from a sexual assault kit to carry forward for DNA analysis. These intimate samples could be OVRs, dried stains from covered areas of the victim’s body, and even the victim’s underpants. A review of sexual assault cases was done to determine the importance of evidence submitted outside traditional cavity swabs. All samples were processed using Promega technology, including extraction with DNA IQTM on Maxwell®16 or Maxwell®48, quantification with PowerQuant®, and amplification with PowerPlex® Fusion. Profiles developed from OVRs, dried stains and victim’s underpants were evaluated to determine if DNA foreign to the victim was present and if there was enough foreign DNA to use for comparisons. Our review showed dried stain samples yielded the most usable profiles when compared to OVRs and underpants. Of the cases where dried stains were submitted, 78% of those cases yielded usable profiles from the dried stain samples. Only 48% of the cases where OVRs were submitted produced usable profiles. Furthermore, 49% of all the CODIS profiles entered from the kits evaluated came from dried stains alone. This study gives compelling evidence that testing samples outside of cavity swabs is beneficial when processing sexual assault collection kits.
Workshop currently at capacity. A waitlist is available to join on our registration page.
DNA Analyst, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office
Brittney Svoboda recived her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Criminal Justice Studies from the University of Dayton and her Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences Concentrating in Forensic DNA & Serology at the University of Florida. She is currently a DNA Analyst at the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, Cleveland, OH for the past ten years.
"*" indicates required fields
Copyright © 2024 ISHI. All Rights Reserved.
