Dear ASCLD Colleagues,
 
I would like to encourage you all to have your laboratories participate in DNAmix 2021. I understand that we are managing backlogs, validations, and legislated turnaround times and that our DNA analysts are being pulled in a million directions. Adding one more thing seems like the last thing we should do. However, DNAmix 2021 is the best current opportunity to collect data.

DNAmix 2021 is specifically designed to collect data to address points in the MIX05/MIX13, PCAST, and now the NIST DNA mixtures foundational review. This is a large-scale, independent study which will evaluate the extent of consistency and variation among forensic laboratories in interpretations and statistical analyses of DNA mixtures, and to assess the effects of various potential sources of variability.

The study will be composed of four phases:

1) Policies and Procedures (P&P) Questionnaire

2) Casework Scenario Questionnaire

3) Number of Contributors (NoC) Subtest

4) Interpretation, Comparison, and Statistical Analysis (ICSA) Subtest

Details about these phases can be found in this week’s CLM. The study is being conducted by Noblis and Bode Technology and supported by NIJ grant funds. Register here https://dnamix.edgeaws.noblis.org

Have a terrific week!
 
Be well,

Erin

Erin P. Forry
ASCLD President