A comparison of software for the evaluation of complex DNA profiles

Forensic Science International. Genetics
Yupei You, D J Balding

Abstract

We compare two open-source programs for the evaluation of evidential weight arising from complex DNA profiles recovered in a crime investigation. Here, "complex" means one or more of: low-template, degraded and mixed-source. Although software for complex DNA profile analysis has made great strides in recent years, the ability of courts to effectively scrutinise and challenge the reliability of the resulting evidence remains problematic. One key step is to compare different software on the same evidence, but there are currently few published comparisons in part because of the problems posed by restricted access to commercial software. We present here an extensive comparison between two open-source software, LikeLTD and EuroForMix. We find that despite different modelling assumptions the two programs generate similar results. The differences that we do identify can inform future improvements and can provide a benchmark for acceptable discrepancies between alternative programs.

Citations

Oct 4, 2019·Journal of Forensic Sciences·David W BauerMark W Perlin
Dec 2, 2020·Forensic Science International. Genetics·Lana OstojicElisa Wurmbach
Mar 15, 2020·Forensic Science International. Genetics·Klaas Slooten
Jul 6, 2021·Forensic Science International. Genetics·Jakob ValtlCatherine M Grgicak
Jun 21, 2020·Forensic Science International. Genetics·Øyvind BlekaPeter Gill
Sep 3, 2021·Forensic Science International. Genetics·Max SchmidtVolker Weirich
Oct 16, 2021·Journal of Forensic Sciences·Tim KalafutJohn Buckleton

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