1. The Basics of CODIS Combined DNA Index System
Maher “Max” Noureddine, PhD, MS, D-ABC
President: ForensiGen, LLC
Founder and President
The Institute for Advanced Career Development
3/20/2015

2. Biological Evidence Processing
Evidence Collection and Preservation
Suspect (s)
Field Testing
Laboratory Testing
CODIS
Database
Identification
Cold Hit
What is it?
Who is it from?
Serology
DNA

3. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
Source: PD

4. STR Loci in Modern Forensics
Source: NIST
There are more than 100,000 STR markers in the human genome

5. Electropherograms or “e-grams”1 2 4 3

6. STR DNA Profiling DNA Profile of “Jane Doe”
Identifiler DNA Testing Kit
from
ABI/Life Technologies
Locus
  allele1
  allele2
D8S1179 13
D21S11 30
D7S820 10 11
CSF1PO 12
D3S1358 14 15
TH01 8
9.3
D13S317
D16S539
D2S1338 19 23
D19S433
VWA 17 18
TPOX
D18S51
Amelogenin X
D5S818
FGA 24
13 markers were agreed upon in
November 1997
NDIS Launched by FBI in 1998
Non-CODIS Markers: not always included in
statistical calculations

7. “Dropouts”
Evidence Sample

8. Evidence Sample

9. NDIS Combined DNA Index System (FBI Lab) SDIS SDIS SDIS State Lab
National Level
NDIS
(FBI Lab)
State Level
SDIS
SDIS
SDIS
State Lab
State Lab
State Lab NC KY TN
Local Level
LDIS
LDIS
LDIS
CMPD
Local Labs in KY
Local Labs in TN

10. Combined DNA Index System
Source of Profiles Stored in CODIS (indexes):
-Arrestee STR profiles (Statute)
-Convicted offender STR profiles
-Forensic sample profiles (Single and Mixtures) attributable to crime scene or potential unknown perpetrator (STR)
-Missing person profiles (STR, YSTR, and Mitochondria)
-Relatives of missing persons (STR, YSTR, and Mitochondria)
-Unidentified human remains ((STR, YSTR, and Mitochondria)

11. Combined DNA Index System
Year
# Convicted Offenders
Forensic Samples
2000
460,365
22,484
2001
750,929
27,897
2002
1,247,163
46,177
2003
1,493,536
70,931
2004
2,038,514
93,956
2005
2,826,505
126,315
2006
3,977,433
160,582
2007
5,287,505
203,401
2008
6,398,874
248,943
2009
7,688,286
298,369
2010
8,646,417
328,067
2011
9,404,747
361,176
2012
9,761,000
436,900

12. Statistical Information NDIS Participating Labs
Combined DNA Index System
Source: FBI
State of NC and National as of January 2015
Statistical Information
NC Total
National
Offender Profiles
239,396
11,592,430
Arrestee
23,563
1,325,123
Forensic Profiles
6,985
607,173
NDIS Participating Labs 2
194*
Investigations Aided
2,460
261,501
CA = 24 labs, 1.7m Convicted Offender profiles
Approx. 60 countries use CODIS software

13. Combined DNA Index System
Standards of Data Acceptance/Eligibility into CODIS (set by the FBI)
Forensic unknowns, mixtures, partials, shall originate from and/or be associated with a crime scene.
Single source profile must have 13 core CODIS markers, allows for one marker with 3 alleles (arrestee, convicted offender).
Forensic mixture DNA profiles submitted to SDIS and NDIS shall have no more than 4 alleles at any locus.
A minimum of 10 core loci are required for upload to NDIS, 7 for SDIS.
Forensic mixture and partial DNA profiles submitted to SDIS and NDIS shall satisfy a statistical threshold for match rarity:
SDIS = 20 NDIS = 1

14. Combined DNA Index System
What information is Contained in a CODIS Entry?
DNA profile (All based on 13 Core STRs, no RFLP data after 2000)
The unique identifier of the submitting agency
Specimen ID issue by the Lab
Identifier of the Analyst responsible for the entry
No Personal Information, criminal history, or case-related information allowed

15. Combined DNA Index System
How is Quality Maintained??
FBI Quality Assurance Standards applied for databasing labs
Participating CODIS labs shall undergo a yearly audit
Lab must be accredited by a nationally recognized NP agency
Lab must be a part of a criminal justice agency
Lab must sign a Memo of Understanding with FBI
Lab must have a trained and qualified CODIS admin (2 preferred)

16. Combined DNA Index System
Type of Searches performed by CODIS Software
Sample to sample index
Sample to convicted offender index
A match can be:
High Stringency Match (all alleles match)
Moderate Stringency Match (9, 10, 11 mixture match to 10, 11)
Low Stringency Match (8, 11 match to a 11, 12) for local searches

17. Coincidental matches, “false positives” ??
Combined DNA Index System
What about:
Non-law enforcement agency initiated searches and/or uploads to CODIS??
Coincidental matches, “false positives” ??