DNA Testing

Home DNA Tests

Home DNA test kits are now widely available and increasingly popular for those who are seeking the convenience and discretion of proving paternity. They are intended only for private use and not for legal purposes. Most of the home DNA test kits offer as much as 99.9 percent accuracy when used properly, similar to laboratory testing procedures. The price for home DNA test kits are not as expensive as one would think, and may range from $100.00 to $300.00, depending on the company that manufactures the test. DNA test kits usually include the kit itself, DNA analysis charts, and results reporting.

Home DNA test kits are fairly easy to use, employing the cheek swabbing technique to obtain DNA samples. DNA collection is done within a few minutes and is virtually painless and safe. These tests also come with clear and easy to follow instructions which clients must follow to obtain accurate results. The samples are then sent off to the lab through the mail for analysis. Results of home DNA test kits are mailed back to the approved people as stated in the authorization forms enclosed in the kits. Test results are kept in high confidence and are released only to the authorized people who were tested and to other people who were approved of by the client, such as lawyers or doctors. No need to worry about confidentiality.

Customers must remember that the results obtained through the use of home DNA test kits may not be used in court because there are no neutral witnesses present during the DNA sampling. In the event that consumers would like to use the results from home DNA test kits, they are required to visit the facilities of the kit's makers where samples will be taken for proper identification and witnessing procedures.

Home DNA test kits are widely available through online sources. Customers must carefully consider the credibility of the company from which they order their test kits. These sources must be backed by existing laboratories certified by DNA analysis associations for added reliability. Online sources usually ship test kits directly to the consumers at added costs.

Forensic DNA Testing

Forensics is defined as the study of evidence found at a crime scene and used in a court of law. Forensic DNA testing refers to DNA testing of evidence to convict or exonerate suspects based on their connection to that evidence. Just as fingerprints revolutionized crime fighting a century ago, forensic DNA testing has radically changed the way criminal evidence is examined.

Forensic DNA testing is now a permanent feature now in the U.S. criminal justice system. It has freed the innocent from death row, it has cleared other convicts and suspects, and it has helped investigators solve seemingly unsolvable crimes. Even so, forensic DNA testing is partly a promise unfulfilled. There is still a good deal of evidence from unsolved cases that is just waiting to be tested. Additionally, forensic DNA testing is used heavily in some states and almost not at all in others. Federal funding rules for forensic DNA testing encourage states to use the process on some cases but not others. Finally, lack of complete statistics have prevented a true evaluation of forensic DNA testing impact on justice so far.

Forensic DNA testing can be expensive. While many rape cases can be solved with DNA testing that costs about $500 per case, some murder evidence can cost upwards of $10,000 for forensic DNA testing. More complex than simple paternity testing, forensic DNA testing may need to call on several different methods depending on the type of evidence available, and whether or not the evidence has degraded or deteriorated in some way.

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