INTERPRETATION OF SIMPLE MIXTURES OF WHEN ARTIFACTS SUCH AS STUTTERS ARE PRESENT - WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MULTIPLEX STRS USED BY THE FORENSIC-SCIENCE SERVICE

The interpretation of mixtures is enhanced by taking into consideratio n the area of peaks. This often enables alleles to be subdivided into major and minor components. In many cases, the minor components are no t of evidential value, particularly when the major bands are from the suspect, and the remaining minor bands are from the victim. In cases w here the minor contribution is from the suspect, artefacts take on gre ater significance. In particular, bands which coincide with stutter po sitions need to be considered as possible artefacts or alleles. This p aper outlines a method for dealing with the interpretation of mixtures when stutter artefacts are present. In principal the philosophy prese nted can be extended to deal with any artefact. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.