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Commercial reagent kits made by Applied Biosystems (now under Life Technologies Corporation) that are used for *DNA typing. The Profiler Plus kit amplifies nine of the thirteen STR loci currently typed in the United States. The COfiler kit amplifies the remaining six loci....

A blood group system discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1900. The ABO system consists of antigens found on the outer surfaces of red blood cells (also called erythrocytes and commonly abbreviated to RBCs) and corresponding ...

A scraping-type injury to the skin that typically occurs as a result of friction or rubbing. The injury is limited to the upper layers of the skin....

A measure of the amount of electromagnetic energy that is absorbed by a given sample. The amount of energy absorbed will depend on the concentration of the sample, the amount of sample through which the energy travels, and a constant called the molar absorptivity coefficient (ε). This coefficient depends on the structure of the sample molecule and the wavelength of the energy. This relationship is summarized as the Beer–Lambert Law: A = εbc where ε is the molar absorptivity, b is the path length and c is concentration. Many spectrophotometric techniques used in forensic science take advantage of this relationship to determine the concentration of a sample. In other cases, such as ...

Two tests that were used to type blood and *body fluids for *ABO and other *blood group systems...

The flammable material that is used to accelerate the propagation of an intentionally set fire. Accelerants can be solids, liquids, or gases, with petrol (gasoline) being the most commonly used. Solid accelerants include paper, fireworks, road flares, and black powder. Butane (cigarette lighter fuel), propane, and natural gas are examples of gaseous accelerants, which do not leave any chemical residue at a fire scene....

A company headquartered in Utah that provides a number of widely used software tools applied in computer and digital forensic investigation and analysis. This includes FTK software (forensics toolkit), decryption software, and software for mobile devices....

Physical markings and features in a material that are acquired by wear or by some accidental or other non-repeatable circumstance during manufacture. Tyre treads, bullets, shoe soles, plastic bags, glass, and a host of other materials of forensic interest can acquire accidental characteristics when they are manufactured. For example, glass that is made by pouring molten material into a mould may develop bubbles which would be considered an accidental characteristic....

A type of forensic engineering investigation involving the study of automobile accidents and related accidents involving motorcycles, trucks, pedestrians, bicycles, boats, buses, trains, and other vehicles. Reconstructions can be used in civil or criminal cases and can become crucial when there are no witnesses. Points of investigation in traffic accidents commonly include speed of the car(s), car positions, direction(s) of travel, braking, and point(s) of impact....

The application of accounting techniques to criminal and civil matters. Forensic accountants study financial records and other financial evidence, prepare analyses and reports, and assist in investigation....

The process of assuring that a forensic laboratory follows procedures and protocols as set forth by a professional organization such as ISO or ASCLD/LAB. Gaining accreditation involves examinations of policies, procedures, staff education and training, and general laboratory operations. This review is undertaken by the organization that would grant the accreditation status and usually involves a site visit. Accredited laboratories may be audited by the accrediting body to check compliance....

One of many *figures of merit used in *metrology (generally) and in quantitative forensic analysis. The accuracy of a result is a quantitative measure of how close the result of a given analysis is to the correct or true value. While a true value can never be known, there are materials such as certified reference materials in which the reported composition can be accepted as a true value, along with an ...

In the evaluation of fingerprint or other types of pattern evidence, an abbreviation for a four-step process: analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification. It is pronounced as ‘ace vee’....

1. Arrhenius definition: A compound that dissociates in water to produce H⁺ which forms H₃O⁺ and the conjugate base A...

A chemical separation procedure that exploits changes in pH and relative solubilities to effect the separation. These extractions are typically performed using ...

1. A salt (combination of an *anion and *cation) that forms from a partially deprotonated, multi-protic acid. For example, the diprotic acid H...

Chemical compounds (*polymers) incorporated into paints, fibres, and other coating and resin materials. The monomers are compounds such as acrylic acid in which a key structural feature is a carbon-carbon double bond (an unsaturated bond). An example of this class of polymer is Plexiglas, also known as Perspex in the United Kingdom....

The mechanical process by which a *cartridge is loaded and secured into a firearm before firing and how it is removed afterward. For example, a pump-action shotgun ejects a spent cartridge and loads a new one by means of manual pumping. In terms of pistols and revolvers, the term single action means that by pulling the trigger the firing pin is driven into the primer to fire the weapon (single action only or SAO). Double action means that pulling the trigger cocks the firing pin back and releases it (DA or DAO). If the weapon is a revolver, a double action design also causes the cylinder to rotate when the trigger is pulled....

One of four *nucleotide bases that comprise DNA and RNA. Due to its molecular structure, adenine will associate with thymine (T), and the two are referred to as complements of each other....

The calculated theoretical maximum temperature at which combustion of a fuel occurs. The condition of the fuel and presence of oxygen (or other oxidant) will determine actual flame temperature. Although there are two conditions for which adiabatic conditions are defined (constant volume and constant pressure), forensic applications are usually based on the assumption of constant pressure....