Familial Searching

Considerations for Process Implementation

It is important to note that typing additional markers (e.g., YSTR, mtDNA) from DNA samples is expensive and requires additional resources from public forensic crime laboratories that are already struggling with limited resources. The time required for the further typing also increases the backlog of unanalyzed routine samples. Additionally, for some laboratories, there are both software and computational analysis method limitations that need to be addressed. Prior to implementing a familial search policy, organizations must be committed to providing all necessary resources to successfully implement this process.