Journal ArticleDOI
DNA Databases as Alternative Data Sources for Criminological Research
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TLDR
The use of DNA databases has an important advantage for criminological research: it is possible to link offences committed by the same individual, whether the offender's identity is known or not as mentioned in this paper.Abstract:
DNA traces found at crime scenes and DNA records held in databases have already helped the police to solve numerous investigations into specific crimes. The police clearly benefit from the use of forensic science at an operational (i.e. case) level. This paper focuses on the use of forensic DNA at a strategic level: its use in the study of patterns of criminal behaviour. The usual sources of information for this type of research are recorded crime data, self-report studies and victimization surveys. However, as our review will show, these data sources cannot provide a complete picture of crime. We therefore propose an alternative approach to criminological research that takes into account DNA databases and has the potential to augment current methods and extend the existing knowledge beyond known offenders. The use of DNA databases has an important advantage for criminological research: it is possible to link offences committed by the same individual, whether the offender’s identity is known or not. By making a one-on-one comparison of police data with the corresponding DNA data, not only can co-offenders be studied, but a larger network of offenders connected to each other can also be analysed, even if their identity is unknown to the police.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Patterns of exchange of forensic DNA data in the European Union through the Prüm system
Filipe Santos,Helena Machado +1 more
TL;DR: The data suggest a trend for West and Central European countries to concentrate the majority of Prüm matches, while DNA databases of Eastern European countries tend to contribute with profiles of people that match stains in other countries.
Rapid DNA technologies at the crime scene : ‘CSI’ fiction matching reality
TL;DR: It is shown that the possibility to deploy Rapid DNA analysis at the crime scene affects the decision-making processes of Scene of Crime Officers (SoCOs) regarding the selection of biological traces for subsequent DNA analysis, and developed a decision model for the use of mobile Rapid DNA technologies by SoCOs.
Journal ArticleDOI
Do We Need to Know Each Other? Bridging the Gap Between the University and the Professional Field
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the specific position and culture of the School of Criminal Justice of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, in terms of proximity with policing organizations, and discuss the advantages of such a close relationship, potential risks and limitations attached to it.
Journal ArticleDOI
The effectiveness of DNA databases in relation to their purpose and content: A systematic review.
Pia Struyf,Sabine De Moor,Christophe Vandeviver,Christophe Vandeviver,Bertrand Renard,Tom Vander Beken +5 more
TL;DR: The most relevant research into the effectiveness of forensic DNA databases published between January 1985 and March 2018 is synthesized, supporting the assumption that DNA databases are an effective tool for the police, society, and criminologists.
References
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Are there multiple paths to delinquency
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