title: The effect of the uncertainty in the number of contributors to mixed DNA profiles on profile interpretation.
abstract: The effect of uncertainty in the number of contributors to a profile is a matter of some contention in forensic DNA interpretation. Interpretation methods are moving towards continuous models. Within this paper the effect of misspecification of the number of contributors to a profile caused by one artefactual peak, either a large back stutter or a forward stutter, was investigated using a continuous model. The misassignment of the number of contributors to a profile either has no significant effect or decreases the LR for the true contributors. It often increases the chance of an adventitious link.
authors.affiliation: ESR Ltd., Private Bag 92021, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Electronic address: Jo.bright@esr.cri.nz.
authors.forename: Jo-Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bright
authors.affiliation: University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.affiliation: ESR Ltd., Private Bag 92021, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Buckleton
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Forensic DNA; Identifiler; Interpretation; Mixed DNA profiles; STRmix™