The limitations of intimate samples in sexual offences.
This article reviews the problems of sampling and interpretation of scientific findings from samples taken by doctors during their examination of victims and suspects in sexual offences. The problems which may be encountered with vaginal, anal, oral and penile swabs are highlighted. These include contamination between samples and the consequences thereof. The responsibilities of the medical examiner, the investigating police officer and the scientist are stressed. Surveys of results stored in a database and case examples are used to illustrate the problems.
Keating
S M
SM
Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory, London, England.
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000592:standards; D014342:Truth Disclosure