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A special state committee Friday approved a recommendation that New York State adopt the use of familial searching, an emerging DNA procedure employed in some states to identify potential suspects.
By a vote of 5-0, the DNA subcommittee of the New York State Commission on Forensic Science approved the plan to use familial searching, proposals that have been in the works since the beginning of the year. Under proposed guidelines, special DNA analysis will be allowed in cases of homicide, rape, arson and crimes involving “a significant public safety threat.”
The measure now goes to the full commission, which could vote on it next month. Familial searching is supported by the New York City’s five district attorneys, as well as NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill.
Familial searching is a two-step process in which an unidentified DNA sample that doesn’t match any genetic profile in the state database is given further analysis to see if it bears any similarities with known profiles. If similarities are found, the unknown sample’s Y-chromosome is further analyzed to come up with a likely relative of the...
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