A p r i l 2 0 0 5 

Identifying Victims Using DNA: 

A Guide for Families 

PRESIDENT’S

DNA

INI T I AT I V E
Office of Justice Programs

U.S. Department of Justice

810 Seventh Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20531

Alberto R. Gonzales

Attorney General

Tracy A. Henke

Acting Assistant Attorney General

Sarah V. Hart

Director, National Institute of Justice

The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and 

evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides 

objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to 

enhance the administration of justice and public safety. This and other 

publications and products of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Justice Programs, and NIJ can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij.

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is one of 27

institutes and centers at the National Institutes of Health, an agency of

the Department of Health and Human Services. NHGRI supports grants

for research, training, and career development at sites nationwide and

conducts research on its campus to develop and implement technology

to understand, diagnose, and treat genomic and genetic diseases.

Information about NHGRI can be found at http://www.genome.gov.
April 2005

Identifying Victims Using DNA: A Guide for Families

NCJ 209493
What is this brochure about?

Any circumstance in which lives are lost is a tragedy that

can have immediate and lasting effects on our communities. 

We extend our most sincere condolences and sympathy to 

you at this difficult time. You have been given this brochure 

to help you understand the process of identifying the remains 

of a victim through DNA analysis. 
Why go through the process of identifying remains?

The decision to pursue identification of the remains of a 

victim through DNA testing is very personal and may be 

different for each family. Some families may find comfort in 

knowing that the remains of their loved one have been identified and returned. These remains can be interred according 

to the family’s traditions. This may help with the healing and 

adjustment to their terrible loss. For others, the testing process may interfere with their healing. 

For DNA testing to work, it may be necessary to gather more 

information, samples, or personal items. Gathering these 

may cause your family further distress. If the testing does not 

identify your loved one’s remains, it may be a disappointment, adding to your grief.

DNA testing can be provided to help those families who want 

it. If you choose not to, your decision will be honored. You 

may take time to talk about it with others who you feel are 

appropriate. People who can help include family, friends, 

religious leaders, health professionals, and victim advocates. 1
2

How is this testing done?

In many cases, DNA testing is one of the best methods to 

identify a victim or victims. DNA is the material in cells that 

stores the inherited traits that make up our bodies. In many 

(but not all) cases, DNA can be isolated from human remains 

or other samples. To identify the remains of a victim, DNA 

from remains found at the disaster or accident site must be 

matched to DNA known to be from the victim or the victim’s 

relatives. Thus, it is necessary to collect DNA samples from 

family members and from personal items or prior medical 

specimens from the victim.

How long will the process take?

The process of identifying a victim might be relatively quick 

or it can be quite lengthy. In some instances, not every victim 

can be identified. When an identification is made, the next of 

kin will be notified and asked if they wish to be contacted if 

more remains are found in the future. 

How can I help identify my loved one?

Accurate and complete information about the victim (unique 

physical characteristics, dental records, etc.) should be 

submitted. Sometimes this information will be sufficient to 

render an identification. In many cases, such information 

may have been provided prior to considering DNA testing. 

To have any success with DNA testing, samples from relatives of the victim will need to be collected to compare with 

the remains.

What are the sources of DNA samples that can be used?

DNA can often be obtained from the biological remains. This 

DNA will be compared to DNA known to be from the victim 

or to DNA from the victim’s relatives.
What are the sources of DNA from the victim?

DNA from the victim’s previously collected medical specimens or personal items can be used to make a direct match 

to remains. For example, if a loved one recently had surgery 

or blood work done, a specimen may have been stored at the 

hospital or clinic. You should provide any known medical 

specimens or ask for help in locating them. The first row of 

the table below provides examples of the kinds of medical 

specimens the laboratory can use.

DNA from the victim may also be found on their personal 

items. The second row of the table above gives some examples of these. A toothbrush or other items containing 

saliva are often good sources. However, it is very important 

that these items were used only by the victim or rarely used 

by anyone else. For example, a hairbrush used by the whole 

family would not be a good source of DNA from the victim. 

3
4

How can DNA from relatives be used?

If personal items or medical specimens are not available or if 

the testing on them does not work, DNA testing can be done 

on samples from blood relatives. The DNA from adoptive 

parents, adopted children, stepparents, or other nonblood 

relatives cannot provide information on the genetic identity 

of a victim.

The ability to match victims to their relatives depends on 

how closely related they are to the victim. The most useful DNA samples are from close blood relatives such as 

the victim’s biological mother, father, children, brothers, or 

sisters. This is because DNA of close relatives is more similar than the DNA of more distant relatives. The pictures on 

the following pages show the relatives who are most useful 

for identifying a victim. If DNA from the victim’s children 

is used, it is helpful to have DNA from the children’s other 

biological parent.

DNA from more distant relatives can be used, but this is 

more difficult. In some cases, samples may be requested 

from specific relatives. For example, DNA samples could be 

requested from a maternal relative of the victim such as the 

victim’s aunt, uncle, or half-brothers or half-sisters on the 

mother’s side of the family.

Why might DNA analysis not work?

DNA testing might not be able to identify your loved one. 

The most likely reason would be that there is no usable DNA 

in the recovered remains. Some victims’ remains may not be 

found. Also, DNA testing may not work if no usable DNA 

can be found on personal items submitted. 
5

How does DNA testing work?

DNA is the hereditary material that contains instructions 

to build a human being. DNA can be collected from very 

small amounts of blood, mouth (cheek) scrapings, hair 

roots, or other samples. There are two kinds of DNA in the 

body: nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA. Both kinds 

of DNA can be used for DNA identification.
Nuclear DNA comes from the cell nucleus and is inherited 

from both parents, half from the mother and half from the 

father (see figure below). Each person’s nuclear DNA is 

unique—except for identical twins, who have the same 

DNA. When a sufficient nuclear DNA profile from the 

victim’s remains matches the nuclear DNA profile from a 

sample known to have come from the victim, we can be 

very sure of the identity of the victim.

6

Inherited from both parents

Most useful

Useful

Not useful

Nonblood 

Blood

Because of the way it is inherited, DNA from blood relatives is somewhat similar. Nuclear DNA from the victim’s 

Victim

NUCLEAR DNA

relatives

relatives

remains can be compared to nuclear DNA from family 

members to identify the victim in some circumstances.

The second kind of DNA is called mitochondrial DNA 

(mtDNA). It is inherited only from the mother (see figure 

on page 7). Fathers never pass on mitochondrial DNA to 
their children. However, mitochondrial DNA typically is

not as powerful for making identifications as nuclear DNA.

This means that in some instances two unrelated people

may have similar mitochondrial DNA. Because of the way

it is inherited, only maternal relatives, such as a brother, sister, or mother, can be used for mitochondrial DNA testing.

Inherited from mother only

Blood

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA

relatives Nonblood

relatives

Victim

Useful

Not useful

Nuclear DNA can be easily damaged by extreme heat and

other conditions and therefore is not always available to be

used for an identification. Mitochondrial DNA, however,

can often be found in very small or damaged DNA samples.

Typically, scientists test nuclear DNA first. If there are

insufficient results for an identification, they will attempt

mitochondrial testing. Despite best efforts, some testing

may not be successful. But the scientists seeking to identify

your loved one will work hard to do so and provide closure

for your family.

7
j

The National Institute of Justice is the 

research, development, and evaluation 

agency of the U.S. Department of 

Justice. NIJ provides ob ective, 

independent, evidence-based knowledge 

and tools to enhance the administration 

of justice and public safety.

NIJ is a component of the Office of 

Justice Programs, which also includes 

the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the 

Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office 

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention, and the Office for

Victims of Crime.
National Institute of Justice

Official Business

DOJ/NIJ

National Institutes of Health

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Washington, DC 20531

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Department of Health and Human Services

National Human Genome Research Institute

President’s DNA Initiative Partners

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

Office on Violence Against Women

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Office for Victims of Crime

Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention