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DNA research in sexual offences: Experience in Ecuador

Abstract:

To assess the technical and judicial consequences resulting from the practical application of DNA testing in forensic research in the numerous sex crimes in Ecuador. Twenty-six sex offence cases were studied using the DNA technique and were analysed in the Genetics Department of the Ecuadorian Red Cross. For the tissue mixtures, we performed differential extraction using one separation solution for the female fraction and another for the male fraction, in accordance with our protocols. An ABI 310 sequencer was used for typing. The fragment size was determined and the allelic designation of the different loci made by comparing them with the PowerPlex 16 kit allelic ladders; the software package Grape 1.1 was used for analysis of the mixtures and for DNA fingerprinting, Statistical Evaluation. Only 15% of all cases reach the stage of Public Investigation, and the sentence is incriminating in only 12.5% of these cases. © 2003, Elsevier B.V.