Journal Published Online: 01 November 2004
Volume 49, Issue 6

A Comparison Study of Hair Examination Methodologies

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the accuracy between two methods of hair analysis: PCR-STR DNA analysis and microscopic comparison analysis. Standard sets of pubic hairs were collected from volunteers, and unknown sets were generated from these samples. Three out of five (60%) of the hairs analyzed produced full DNA profiles that were correctly matched to the standard sets. DNA analysis was inconclusive (partial or no DNA profile) for two out of five (40%) of the samples. In contrast, the microscopic comparison analysis correctly matched four out of five (80%) of the samples to the standard sets but mis-identified one out of five (20%) of the samples. These results reinforce the practice of preliminary microscopic hair examination in narrowing down a set of hairs for DNA analysis. Microscopic comparison analysis is sufficiently reliable to remain a rapid and inexpensive method for forensic hair analysis.

Author Information

Kolowski, JC
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York, NY
Petraco, N
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY Private Consultant—Forensic Evidence Analysis Section, Jamaica, NY
Wallace, MM
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY
De Forest, PR
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, New York, NY
Prinz, M
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, New York, NY
Pages: 3
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: JFS2003430
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2003430