Use of blood samples in paternity testing and forensic science

Abstract

In paternity testing the genetic structure of an alleged father's blood is compared with the corresponding structures for the mother and child. Either the man is "excluded" and declared to be not the father, or else a probability that he is the father can be calculated. The methodology behind the procedure is surveyed from historical, legal and medical perspectives, and the current situation in New Zealand is described. A similar problem arises in forensic science when a blood stain is compared with the blood from either the suspect or the victim. © 1985 Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.