A standalone humanitarian DNA identification database system to increase identification of human remains of foreign nationals
- 6 August 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in International journal of legal medicine
- Vol. 134 (6), 2039-2044
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02396-9
Abstract
The identification of missing persons and human remains is a worldwide problem which has been exacerbated with increased migrations and rampant human trafficking and smuggling cases. DNA typing and DNA databases are primary tools and resources used to help identify human remains and missing persons. The foundation of most, if not all, national DNA database systems, e.g., CODIS, is law enforcement identification. With such database systems, compliance with statutory and operational requirements is necessary to ensure the integrity of the databases. However, because of conditions in their homelands, relatives of missing persons at times may not trust the government and may be reluctant to contact a law enforcement agency, making it difficult to satisfy the law enforcement nexus necessary for entry into a national DNA database. A potential solution to increase the identification of unidentified human remains found within the USA, such as those that may be of foreign nationals, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI) has created a Humanitarian DNA Identification DNA Database (HDID) that enables family reference sample DNA profiles from non-US citizens to be compared with the DNA profiles from unidentified human remains within its local database system. This short communication describes the needs, basis, policies, and practices to inform the scientific, investigative, and legal communities and the public so that various entities may become aware and consider submitting family reference sample (FRS) profiles from foreign nationals for the purpose of searching against UNTCHI’s HDID. It is our hope that by creating this HDID, another vehicle is available to support identification of human remains within the USA and to bring much needed answers to the family members of missing persons. The HDID will merge high forensic quality and best practices with the broader accessibility for non-US families to voluntarily donate DNA profiles for searching for missing loved ones.Keywords
Funding Information
- Internal Funding from State of Texas (None)
This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
- Thermal conductivity and its relation to atomic structure for symmetrical tilt grain boundaries in siliconPhysical Review Materials, 2020
- Unidentified bodies and human remains: An Italian glimpse through a European problemForensic Science International, 2010
- Forensic aspects of mass disasters: Strategic considerations for DNA-based human identificationLegal Medicine, 2005
- National DNA databases—practice and practicability. A forum for discussionInternational Congress Series, 2004
- Invariant trackingESAIM: Control, Optimisation and Calculus of Variations, 2004
- A brief history of the formation of DNA databases in forensic science within EuropeForensic Science International, 2001