Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 7 (2019) 549–551

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Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fsigss

Geolocation of the Brazilian National DNA Database matches as a tool for T

improving public safety and the promotion of justice
Ronaldo Carneiro da Silva Juniora,1,*, Aline Costa Minervinoa,1, Luciano Lamper Martinezb,
Daniel Russob, Daniel Araújo Mirandab
a
Brazilian Federal Police, Technical Scientific Directory, Brasília, Brazil
b
Brazilian Federal Police, National Institute of Criminalistics, Brasília, Brazil

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The Brazilian National DNA Database (BNPG) was created in 2013 and has been growing yearly. In the first half
DNA database of 2019, there was a 70% increase in the number of genetic profiles that joined BNPG. Along with this growth,
Matches geolocation there was also a 46% increase in the number of matches in the same period.
Inteligeo While it is an excellent sign of increasing database effectiveness, this brings challenges to be overcome. One of
SInDNA
them is how to monitor and organize the matches so that they become an effective tool for the promotion of
justice and public safety. The tracking of the matches that until then was carried out by spreadsheets now needs a
more intelligent form of data management.
The solution to this question was found through the integration of matches data from the Brazilian National
DNA Database with Inteligeo - a geolocation system developed by Brazilian Federal Police.
The Inteligeo system was created in 2010. It is a modern and powerful geographical information system,
which assists Brazilian forensic experts in the production of technical reports and integrated information
management. It is possible to geolocate all kinds of forensic data, such as crime scenes, criminal routes, and
correlations between places under investigation.
The teams of BNPG and Inteligeo started joint work to implement the project. First, all forensic DNA la-
boratories and their respective matches were geolocated. Correlations between laboratories and matches dis-
tribution maps were created.
A protocol was also developed to make it mandatory to register the geographical coordinates of the sites that
originated the samples related to matches.
The possibilities of this data integration are many, considering that Inteligeo allows integration with external
data sources, supports complex geospatial searches and allows the generation of dynamic maps that can be used
to instantly assess the general status of the database and view the correlations of individual matches as they
occur.
At this point, a new tool called Integrated DNA System (SInDNA) is being developed to automate the geo-
location of evidence and its relationships. It will allow evidence data to be recorded and geolocated so that when
a match occurs, crime scenes can be geographically linked almost automatically.

1. Introduction solving crimes and for supporting justice [1].

DNA testing is a comparative analysis, where the genetic profile of a
questioned sample is compared to reference samples in the search for
genetic compatibilities or links. In the criminal area, forensic genetics
compares profiles from crime scenes with samples of suspects.
However, when there is no evidence of crime authorship - cold cases -
genetic profiling databases have proven to be an excellent tool for
In Brazil, the Integrated Network of DNA Databases (RIBPG) was
established from Decree 7,950/2013 [2]. Today it integrates 20 la-
boratories from all over Brazil that share genetic profiles through the
Brazilian National DNA Database, administered by the Brazilian Federal
Police. Another 8 states will join the RIBPG in the coming years, thus
completing the coverage of the entire country [3].
According to the 10th RIBPG Report [4] by May 2019, the Brazilian

⁎
Corresponding author: Instituto Nacional de Criminalística, SPO, Q.7, lote 23. CEP 70610-200 Brasília-DF, Brazil.
E-mail address: bnpg.ditec@dpf.gov.br (R.C. da Silva Junior).
1
Joint first authors.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.10.086
Received 3 September 2019; Accepted 8 October 2019
Available online 14 October 2019
1875-1768/ © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
R.C. da Silva Junior, et al.
Fig. 1. Geolocation of BNPG matches: (A) samples relationships; (B) high occurrence region; (C) heat map.
National DNA Database had 30,809 genetic profiles - an increase of
70% compared to data from the 9th RIBPG Report (November/2018).
Such an increase in profiles also led to a jump in the number of matches
registered at RIBPG databases, from 635 to 926 - a 46% increase in just
6 months.
While this growth is an excellent sign of increased database effec-
tiveness, it brings new challenges. The matches monitoring using
spreadsheets is no longer effective and productive. In addition to the
heavy workload required to keep the data current in these tables, the
information was isolated and unconnected between them. It required
administrative effort that did not help to maximize the usefulness of the
results offered by the matches.
From this finding, it was identified the need to look for a way to
monitor and organize coincidences so that they become an effective
tool for the promotion of justice and public safety. The solution to this
challenge was found by integrating coincidence data from the Brazilian
National DNA Database with Inteligeo - a Geographical Information
System developed by the Federal Police [5].
2. Inteligeo Characteristics
Inteligeo is a modern and powerful geographical information system
that assists brazilian forensic experts in producing technical reports and
integrating information. It is capable of producing strategic maps of
drug seizure, public procurement fraud, deforestation of rainforests and
indexing of documents/images, for example. The system works on the
internal network and offers over 800 layers of vector data and more
than 70TB raster data, including high-resolution land observation
imagery.
In addition to several data searches using an advanced query wi-
zard, it allows the generation of thematic maps, spatial searches in
geometries or buffer, route generation, local opening of SHP, KML,
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GPX, CSV and XLS files, KML, DOC, XLS or CSV results export, online
data editing, real-time service addition, address and coordinate loca-
tion, map printing from MXD models and strategic reports, search re-
sults printing, dynamic chart generation, heat maps and point ag-
gregation, and a complete dashboard.
Inteligeo can also integrate with other systems, web services, and
map services from government institutions in Brazil. An example is the
integration with the administrative system of Brazilian Federal Forensic
Reports, where the user can see the exact location of crime scenes and
have access to their documentation.
To ensure information security, an extra data access protection
module was developed. This layer ensures, through integration with the
LDAP user base, that only authorized people will access the service or
application tools. All information is encrypted during transfer using
HTTPS.
3. Results
Knowing all the potentials and security features of the system, the
Brazilian National DNA Database and Inteligeo teams have begun a
joint effort to implement geolocation of matches between evidence of
different crime scenes or between pieces of evidence and individuals.
Given that the working criteria of RIBPG are defined by an
Executive Committee, such proposal was presented at a meeting of this
board and approved. At this meeting, it was agreed that the data to be
plotted on Inteligeo would be only geographic information and crime
scene/individuals information. That is, genetic profiles would be kept
solely and exclusively in the Combined DNA Index - CODIS, in order to
maintain the security of genetic information.
The first action aimed at integrating Brazilian National DNA
Database x Inteligeo was the creation of a standard form for matches
information, which contained the field for recording the geographic
R.C. da Silva Junior, et al.
coordinates of the sites that originated the match-related samples. This
step was important because the geographic data was information not
previously shared between the participating laboratories of RIBPG.
From now on, all matches are reported to Brazilian National DNA
Database using this form and the data is passed to Inteligeo for plotting
on maps. There are already dozens of matches reported in this way,
which has been an excellent tool for observing the interrelationship of
crimes and their geographical characteristics (Fig. 1).
4. Discussion and conclusion
From the approval of the pilot project and the good results achieved,
the first idea emerged to develop another system so that coincidence
management could be done faster and more effectively, with a powerful
geospatial tool. To the best of our knowledge, this approach has never
been used anywhere in the world.
This system was named SInDNA - Integrated DNA System. It was
designed with a structure of modules (Identifications, DNA Cases,
Matches, Reports, Statistics, among others) with different levels of ac-
cess and fully auditable. Its objective is to provide a more efficient
management tool and that the coincidences registered in the Brazilian
National DNA Database can be informed quickly and managed more
efficiently, making the genetic profiling databases continue to strive for
excellence in results presented to society.
The target processes were modeled and a system proof-of-concept
was developed. This proof-of-concept was introduced to future system
users and, upon consolidation of their contributions, was recently ap-
proved. Thus, the development phase was initiated, which provides for
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Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series 7 (2019) 549–551
regular deliveries and continuous monitoring by the project manage-
ment team. SInDNA is expected to have its first full version delivered in
the first half of 2020.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Federal Police Technical-Scientific
Directorate and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, as well as
their staff, for their support to this project.
References
[1] F. Santos, H. Machado, S. Silva, Forensic DNA databases in European countries: is
size linked to performance? Life Sci. Soc. Policy 9 (2013) 12.
[2] BRAZIL, Decree 7950/2013 - Establishes the National DNA Database and the RIBPG,
Brasília (2013).
[3] B.R. Trindade, National DNA Database: an Examination of Its Constitutionality and
Effectiveness, Course Completion Paper (Bachelor of Laws) - Brasília University,
2015.
[4] RIBPG, 10th Integrated Network of DNA Databases Report, (2019) [Online].
Available at: https://www.justica.gov.br/sua-seguranca/seguranca-publica/ribpg .
[Accessed Sep 01, 2019)..
[5] D.A. Miranda, D. Russo, Geographical information systems - a working example in
the Brazilian Federal police for fighting environmental crime, in: H. Kars, L. Eijkel
(Eds.), Soil in Criminal and Environmental Forensics, 2016, p. 139.