Law Enforcement Use of Probabilistic Genotyping, Forensic DNA Phenotyping, and Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Technologies

To better understand key considerations around law enforcement use of advanced forensic DNA technologies, the Committee on Law and Justice and the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop titled "Law Enforcement Use of Probabilistic Genotyping, Forensic DNA Phenotyping, and Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Technologies." The workshop was organized in response to Executive Order 14074, issued in May 2022, and was held on March 13 and 14, 2024. The order focused on advancing effective, accountable policing, as well as criminal justice practices around algorithmic approaches to policing; it directed the National Academies to hold a workshop to explore the different approaches. The workshop focused on three specific advanced forensic DNA practices: probabilistic genotyping, forensic DNA phenotyping, and forensic investigative genetic genealogy. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.

Table of Contents

Front Matter 1 Public Trust and the Landscape of Law Enforcement Use of Advanced Forensic DNA Technologies 2 Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy 3 Probabilistic Genotyping 4 Forensic DNA Phenotyping 5 Learning from Abroad 6 Moving Forward: Priorities for Research and Funding References Appendix A: Public Meeting Agendas Appendix B: Workshop Planning Committee and Speaker Biographies Appendix C: Bibliography for Workshop Speaker Presentations