Three stages in the development of DNA evidence in Australia

Abstract

DNA evidence continues to make a significant contribution to the Australian criminal justice system. The techniques used by forensic scientists, and the legal principles governing the collection of DNA evidence and its use in court by law enforcement, have developed considerably since they were first introduced. DNA evidence is continually evolving as new scientific techniques are applied to investigations and presented in court, and new database infrastructure is introduced by government agencies. This paper examines the development of DNA evidence in Australia over the last 30 years. It proposes that this development can be understood as a three-stage process: the first stage, from 1989 to 2000; the second, from 2001 to 2014; and the third, from 2015 to the present. In delineating the development of DNA evidence into three stages, a holistic approach has been taken to describe the scientific development of DNA evidence throughout this period, as well as the associated legal and regulatory framework.