Background DNA
Definition
Material present through histories other than the activity under investigation. DNA on an item can reflect previous use, indirect transfer or other histories apart from the investigated event. Context and relevant comparison material help assess those possibilities.
- Context
- DNA transfer
For example, DNA on a frequently used handle can predate the investigated event and requires interpretation in that activity context.
Detecting a person’s DNA does not establish when it arrived or which activity deposited it. Background is a hypothesis to assess, not an automatic explanation of every result.
Related terms
- Contact DNA
- A practical description of DNA recovered from a contact area, without proving the transfer route. It can include different biological components and...
- Dropout
- Failure to detect a true contributor allele under the analytical conditions. Their assessment depends on the method and profile conditions. Do not...
- Indirect Transfer
- Movement of material through an intermediary rather than direct animal contact with the final surface. The intermediary, sequence and opportunities for persistence...
- Persistence
- The property that friction ridge configuration remains stable from birth through death and into decomposition, as long as the papillary dermis survives....