Weight–of–Evidence for Forensic DNA Profiles

The introduction of DNA profiling into courtrooms during the late 1980s caused substantial controversy. Profiling techniques have advanced considerably since that time, and the power of DNA evidence is indisputable; but the importance of accurate evidence interpretation must not be underestimated. This book provides a thorough presentation of weight–of–evidence for DNA profiling, and aims to help both the lawyer and the forensic scientist charged with presenting DNA evidence in court.
Links up population genetics and statistics theory with the reality of issues surrounding the presentation of evidence in court; e.g. the prosecutor’s fallacy, and the introduction of Bayesian methods in the courtroom.Shows how to calculate likelihood ratios from first principles, including a thorough interpretation of the θ adjustments to allow for co–ancestry.Provides a self–contained introduction to population genetics relevant to DNA profiles.Provides an introduction to the technology of short random repeat (STR, or microsatellite) based profiling, and a brief introduction to SNP profiles.Provides a comparison with alternative methods for evaluating weight–of–evidence, e.g. uniqueness, exclusion probabilities, and hypothesis training.Fully worked examples given throughout the book, as well as exercises with solutions.
Weight–of–evidence for forensic DNA profiles is aimed at forensic scientists presenting evidence in court as well as all students of evidence interpretation. Little background is necessary in either statistics or population genetics; statisticians however will find fascinating applications of important statistical concepts . This book is also suitable for judges and lawyers seeking to attain a thorough understanding of weight–of–evidence theory, and those interested in the application of these principles to the legal field and their presentati on in the courtroom.

Spis treści:
Preface.
1. Introduction.
1.1 Weight–of–evidence theory.
1.2 About the book.
1.3 DNA profiling technology.
1.4 What you need to know already.
1.5 Other resources.
2. Crime on an island.
2.1  Warm–up exercises.
2.2  Rare trait identification evidence.
2.3  Making the island problem more realistic.
2.4  Weight–of–evidence exercises.
3. Assessing evidence via likelihood ratios.
3.1  Likelihood ratios.
3.2  The weight–of–evidence formula.
3.3  General application of the formula.
3.4  Consequences for DNA evidence.
3.5  Some derivations.
3.6  Further weight–of–evidence exercises.
4. Typing technologies.
4.1  STR typing.
4.2  mtDNA typing.
4.3  Y–chromosome markers.
4.4  X–chromosome markers.
4.5  SNP profiles.
4.6  Fingerprints.
5. Some population genetics for DNA evidence.
5.1  A brief overview.
5.2  Ø, or FST.
5.3  A statistical model and sampling formula.
5.4  Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.
5.5  Linkage equilibrium.
5.6  Coancestry.
5.7  Likelihood–based estimation of Ø.
5.8  Population genetics exercises.
6. Identification.
6.1  Choosing the hypotheses.
6.2  Calculating the likelihood ratios.
6.3  Application to STR profiles.
6.4  Application to haploid profiles.
6.5  Mixtures.
6.6  Identification exercises.
7. Relatedness.
7.1  Paternity.
7.2  Other relatedness between two individuals.
7.3  Software for relatedness analysis.
7.4  Inference of ethnicity or phenotype.
7.5  Relatedness exercises.
8. Other approaches to weight of evidence.
8.1  Uniqueness.
8.2  Inclusion/Exclusio n probabilities.
8.3  Hypothesis testing.
8.4  Other exercises.
9. Issues for the courtroom.
9.1  Bayesian reasoning in court.
9.2  Some fallacies.
9.3  Some UK appeal cases.
9.4  US National Research Council reports.
9.5  Prosecutor′s fallacy exercises.
10. Solutions to exercises.
Bibliography.
Index.

Okładka tylna:
The introduction of DNA profiling into courtrooms during the late 1980s caused substantial controversy. Profiling techniques have advanced considerably since that time, and the power of DNA evidence is indisputable; but the importance of accurate evidence interpretation must not be underestimated. This book provides a thorough presentation of weight–of–evidence for DNA profiling, and aims to help both the lawyer and the forensic scientist charged with presenting DNA evidence in court.
Links up population genetics and statistics theory with the reality of issues surrounding the presentation of evidence in court; e.g. the prosecutor’s fallacy, and the introduction of Bayesian methods in the courtroom.Shows how to calculate likelihood ratios from first principles, including a thorough interpretation of the θ adjustments to allow for co–ancestry.Provides a self–contained introduction to population genetics relevant to DNA profiles.Provides an introduction to the technology of short random repeat (STR, or microsatellite) based profiling, and a brief introduction to SNP profiles.Provides a comparison with alternative methods for evaluating weight–of–evidence, e.g. uniqueness, exclusion probabilities, and hypothesis training.Fully worked examples given throughout the book, as well as exercises with solutions.
Weight–of–evidence for forensic DNA profiles is aimed at forensic scientists presenting evidence in court as well as all students of evidence inte rpretation. Little background is necessary in either statistics or population genetics; statisticians however will find fascinating applications of important statistical concepts . This book is also suitable for judges and lawyers seeking to attain a thorough understanding of weight–of–evidence theory, and those interested in the application of these principles to the legal field and their presentation in the courtroom.