CRJ 311: Forensic Science

Lecture 8 - DNA
1. History of DNA
a. 1953:
b. 1980:
c. 1985:
d. 1988:
e. 1991:
f. 1998:

2. History of DNA “Watson and Crick”

a. James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in 1962.
b. Who is Rosalind Franklin?

3. Where does DNA come from?

a. Chromosomes:
b. “Gene”:
c. DNA:

4. What is DNA?
a. A nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and
functioning of all living organisms.
i. Structure?

5. Types of DNA
a. Nuclear DNA:

b. Mitochondrial DNA:

i. Advantages?
ii. Disadvantages?

6. DNA Facts?

7. Forensic Uses of DNA

a. DNA fingerprinting or profiling can be useful for the following purposes?

8. What Every Law Enforcement Officer Should Know about DNA?

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a. Training developed for law enforcement officers by the National Commission for the Future
of DNA Evidence.
b. Purpose?

c. Blood
d. Semen
e. Vaginal Fluid
f. Saliva
g. Oral
h. Hairs
i. Urine and Feces
j. Touch
k. Wearer

9. Collection and Preservation of DNA Evidence

a. Wear disposable latex gloves
b. Clothing must be collected
c. No plastic or airtight containers
d. Any more?

10. DNA Typing Methods

a. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP):

b. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR):

c. Short Tandem Repeats (STR):

11. DNA Typing Methods “STR”

a. Advantages?

12. Process for Determining Probability

a. Databases have been established that determine how often a particular allele on a loci
appears in a given population.
b. What happens when you increase the # of alleles?
c. Outcomes?

13. FBI’s DNA Database

a. Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
b. Launched?
c. What is it for?

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14. Stephen Robert Smith

15. Post Conviction Testing

a. Innocence Project

16. Future of DNA

17. Sam Sheppard

a. Marilyn Sheppard was brutally beaten to death.
b. How many years did Sam Sheppard serve?
c. Who is trying to clear his name?