Tip of the Month:

Frequently, our laboratory is presented with an array of objects to test. These objects include panties, sheets, envelopes, bones, hair, teeth (children's included), toothbrushes, drink cups, bottles, lollipop sticks, clothing items and razors (no electric).

When presented with objects such as panties, stained clothing, or sheets you should ask for semen or sperm detection. The laboratory will determine if the stain is semen and then look for the presence of the sperm. It is the sperm that is important because that is where the DNA will be located. Once sperm has been detected then DNA, in most cases, can be extracted.

With other objects such as bones or envelopes DNA extraction is immediately attempted. Bear in mind that hair presented must have follicles in order for DNA to be present.

Once DNA presence has been determined, an evaluation must be done to determine whether or not there is enough DNA to do a test. If enough DNA were present to move forward, then the next step would be to match the DNA. You may want to match the DNA to your client or to a suspect or to a child.

All this being said, remember that these types of samples are very fragile and there is NO guarantee that the analysis will yield a result. These types of objects can be very expensive as well. Finally, here is a useful tip: have the lab test your questionable object first. Pay for that service and remember that fees for these types of test are nonrefundable so you want to test, let's say, the panties first, pay for those and make sure that they are viable for use on a test THEN move forward and pay for the remainder of the test AFTER the lab gives its ok.