Thesis
Sampling Techniques for the Recovery of Offender Cellular Material on Victim Skin Surfaces
Masters by Coursework, Murdoch University
2023
Abstract
Sexual assault is a violent crime that is committed against a person and is accompanied by a number of common behaviours that result in the transfer of cellular material between the victim and the offender. Evidence collection of such crime types presents a number of challenges, majorly being in relation to the victim’s body forming part of the “crime scene” and as such, where sample collection often takes place. Although the use of touch DNA is widely used in the field of forensics, not much is understood about maximising recovery of such mixed profiles. Little is understood about the origin of cellular material from touch DNA deposits, the persistence of such samples on skin surfaces, and how differences in individual deposits are explained. Due to this, there is a lack of identification of optimal sampling techniques for these conditions that enable a useable offender DNA profile to be generated for identification from such difficult samples. This literature review aims to gain a deeper understanding of the current and available knowledge on the matter as well as the use of commonly applied sampling techniques in this field. In doing so, gaps in the literature have been identified. In exploring the advantages and disadvantages of the sampling techniques of single-swabbing with rayon and flocked nylon swab types, double-swabbing with rayon swab type, tape-lifting, and alcohol wipe methodologies for sample collection, it has been found that the usefulness of each technique is dependent on the sample type, collection surface, and extraction technique. There is yet to be a comparison undertaken using all these aforementioned techniques set in real-life conditions to test their sampling abilities in retrieving offender touch DNA from victim skin surfaces. This review aims to consolidate the relevant findings of each technique to advocate for further research for use in such important work.
Details
- Title
- Sampling Techniques for the Recovery of Offender Cellular Material on Victim Skin Surfaces
- Authors/Creators
- Alana M Marr
- Contributors
- Brendan Chapman (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Masters by Coursework
- Identifiers
- 991005623670107891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences
- Resource Type
- Thesis
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