DNA Testing Services Overview

DNA testing services provide benefits to both the civil and the legal justice system. In the civil legal system it can help resolve parentage or inheritance issues while in the criminal justice system it can help determine guild or innocence of the accused. The technology for DNA testing is nascent when compared to other established science disciplines but they have played an important role for the last 20 years in solving many criminal cases. Numerous individuals who were convicted in criminal cases before the discovery of DNA were exonerated after the crime scene evidence was tested using DNA testing techniques. However it is important to realize the limitations of DNA technology before deciding to use the procedure.

In a number of famous cases the test procedures followed were faulty or inappropriate to the situation, resulting in erroneous results. In some cases it has been discovered that contaminated samples were tested, faulty equipment was used for the tests or equipment was used that still contained DNA from previous tests. In some cases the exhibits were improperly stored or the method of storage was unknown rendering the samples to be of questionable quality; in some other cases sufficient quantity of samples was not available and hence required usage of modern controversial techniques to test them.

DNA Testing Services Usage

DNA testing services are used for different purposes, depending on the function of the department using them. For example, crime detection departments have entirely different needs in DNA testing than crime prevention departments. DNA is stored in numerous databases in various locations so local DNA samples are cross checked against all the databases to try and find a match. This could bring a totally unexpected and unknown individual into prominence and once you investigate the background of this individual a pattern may emerge that ties him into the crime. As the number of DNA results stored in these data-banks increase you will find that more such events happen more often.

The use of these services in paternity and other civil cases is also increasing, with more people being prepared to pay money for definite evidence that they are the parent of a child. By doing this they not only increase their chances of succeeding if the case goes to trial but the test results could also prevent the case from having to go to trial. Your opponent will hesitate to spend money when he is aware that you have proper DNA evidence to prove your case.

DNA testing services can only analyze samples that you provide or make available to them for testing. You can order a home DNA test kit and take samples using the buccal swabs that are in the home test kit and post the samples to the testing services. This is a very simple and painless method to obtain the required samples. You may prefer to have the testing lab take the test DNA samples. This will be more expensive but is the preferred way to go in the DNA test results are expected to be utilized in a trial. If you are going to be relying on your evidence in court, it will be a good idea to have your test recorded and authenticated by one of the established DNA testing services.