EXAMPLE: What is CODIS? What role does it play in criminal investigations involving DNA evidence?
CODIS stands for Combined DNA Index System. It is a DNA indexing system created and maintained by the FBI. Criminal investigators may search the index at a local, state, or national level. Crime labs input DNA data and it flows up the system to the state and national levels. This can be useful when a perpetrator crosses state lines. CODIS keeps two types of DNA information: that known to have come from a crime scene and that known to have come from a perpetrator. When a new perpetrator enters the system, his or her DNA can be indexed to known crime scenes. It may help tie an individual to a cold case or a similar crime in a different geographical area. All returned “matches” must be evaluated by a qualified DNA analyst.
