Definition[]
A familial DNA search is a search against a DNA database for
| “ | someone in the database who may be a close relative of an alleged perpetrator of a crime. This use of a DNA database . . . can potentially provide an investigative lead (as opposed to exact identification) that may ultimately help identify the perpetrator of a serious crime.[1] | ” |
Overview[]
"This search is based on the number of shared genetic characteristics (i.e., alleles) and the rarity of those shared alleles in human populations. Unlike a search for a direct match, a familial search will allow for matching subsets of alleles at any given genetic marker as a basis for comparison. Because alleles in humans are inherited in a one-for-one relationship from the father or mother, close relatives of a targeted perpetrator can be expected to share more alleles, especially rare alleles, than would unrelated individuals. A familial search relies on mathematical modeling specific to the DNA database being utilized. This modeling determines whether an observed similarity between two DNA profiles is more likely the result of kinship or mere chance."[2]