SIMULTANEOUS CALCULATION OF STR PROFILE
FREQUENCIES USING MORE THAN 150 POPULATION STUDIES - DEVELOPMENT OF A FORENSIC
CASEWORK AND RESEARCH TOOL
Brian Burritt
San Diego Police Department
An excel spreadsheet that will calculate STR profile frequencies from any number of population studies has been developed. Currently, the program contains data from more than 150 population studies that contain, at a minimum the nine Profiler Plus STR loci. The program was developed to aid the criminalist in quickly finding available population studies and performing DNA profile frequencies calculations with these studies.The compilation may be used to help demonstrate the worldwide use of STR testing.
Additionally, the program can be useful as a research tool. Studies were carried out that addressed several assumptions that may be made regarding commonly used population studies. One assumption investigated, which is elluded to in NRC II, is that a DNA profile frequency estimate is likely within one order of magnitude from the "true" value.
Another assumption investigated is that the presentation of Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic population frequencies gives a wide range of values that encompass the population frequencies of many of the world's populations.
Population data generated with this program supports both of these assumptions. Additional population studies will be added as they become available.
Copies of the program may be obtained from the presenter by email (bburritt@pd.sandiego.gov).