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[ Key Personnel | Key Instruments | Targets
and Key Indicators ]
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Biochemical Sciences Sections
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Staff checking experimental data |
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The Biochemical Sciences Sections comprise two sections, A and B, which work in parallel and which are responsible for the identification and individualization of biological evidence materials submitted for examination. These come mostly from crimes against the person/property, such as homicide, rape, burglary, etc. The aim of the examination is in attempting to trace the source of a particular piece of evidence material. For example, bloodstaining /semen staining found in a rape case can be shown to be indistinguishable from that of a suspect; or, an abandoned foetus can be shown to be the possible offspring of a couple (parentage analysis) in an infanticide case; or, a piece of meat is shown to be of canine origin in an illegal meat sale.
The professional officers in the sections are also involved in some special examinations, particularly in the area of blood spatter pattern interpretation at crime scenes.
Key Personnel
Biochemical Sciences A Section
Biochemical Sciences B Section

Staff working on the DNA sequencer |
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Starting from 1998, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based DNA profiling has become the main analytical method for the examination of biological evidence in forensic casework. In 2004, a new analytical kit has been introduced into the system, which enables simultaneous amplification of up to fifteen DNA characteristics plus sex. This analytical kit together with a new robotic workstation and detection platform has greatly enhanced the sample throughput, efficiency, sensitivity and degree of certainty in the identification of the source of samples, with the discrimination among the population for a person being up to the order of quadrillions to one.
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Key Instruments
Targets
and Key Indicators
Key Performance Measures Relating to the Forensic
Science Services
Targets
Targets are defined as the number of working days
required to complete 80% of cases
| Category |
Targets
Working Days Per Case |
2006
(Actual) |
2007
(Actual) |
2008
(Plan) |
Biochemical grouping (DNA profiling) -
routine cases
complicated cases
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88 154 |
68
140 |
87
176 |
80
170 |
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Key Indicators
Key indicators are the number of cases completed
| Number of Cases Investigated |
2006
(Actual) |
2007
(Actual) |
2008
(Estimate) |
Biochemical sciences -
routine cases
complicated cases
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3,206
691 |
2,543
1,066 |
3,200
680 |
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