DNA testing is a powerful tool in criminal cases because it can establish a chain of events leading to a crime or accident and can aid the ability of the prosecution to prove a trial case. Because of the DNA revolution, innocent men sitting on death row are now exonerated. As part of the criminal justice procedure and admissible into a court of law, development of DNA testing now includes semen, blood, saliva, teeth and bones. Researchers are also continuing to explore DNA and its relation in hair, skin cells and fingerprints. Because of DNA, evidence recovered from crime scenes can be of value even when traditional forms of testing prove negative.

New Technology
Whenever identification is a problem during a forensic archaeology investigation on a body, DNA testing will be used in hopes of finding a solution. Obtaining DNA is never a simple process and is sometimes impossible with bones and tissue that have been long buried.
DNA analysis of bones found in the Gobi desert is proving to be fascinating and has led to a breakthrough DNA technique. Heather Miller Coyle, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Forensic Science, Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice & Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven, and four forensic science graduate students have developed a method for preparing skeletal remains for DNA extraction. They were able to extract DNA from mummy bones (approximately 800 years old) found in the Gobi Desert, and were just as successful upon trying the same on a case Dr. Coyle was working on in the United States.

Coyle and her team determined that the Gobi desert created a natural bone baking process - making the bones more brittle and easier to grind and break open to expose more cells - accessing more DNA. Dr. Coyle copied conditions in the Gobi desert and baked the cold case bones for a few days. Liquid nitrogen was then poured into a pulverizer with the bones and crushed, turning the bone to powder -- ready for DNA extraction. These findings may have implications for scientists around the globe. In the United States alone, the remains of 40,000 missing persons are stored in various medical examiners' offices. "If we can extract DNA through a new process, the possibilities could be tremendous. It raises the question of how far back in time we can stretch criminal justice," says Dr. Coyle.

The Future of Forensic Science
Dr. Brogdon believes that the spectrum of what can be done in forensic science is very broad and largely, "not very well appreciated." He feels that funding in the United States by the federal government is part of the problem - there is very little. "Funding is provided on the county level, maybe at the state level, and sometimes on a federal level, but it is not a priority so funding is a big problem," says Dr. Brogdon. "Education and understanding the value of a radiographer is also a big problem." When it comes to cost, Brogdon suggests exploring the option of purchasing a refurbished piece of equipment which could lead to saving as much as 50% over the cost of a new machine.

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