STRmix update, October 3rd 2016

STRmix™ use continues to grow across the US and internationally, as more laboratories benefit from its growing admissibility in US courts, accuracy, extensive scientific support, fast results and the fact that it can be easily understood and represented in court by case working forensic biologists.  
The following US laboratories have successfully validated STRmix™ and are live in casework: Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL),  California Department of Justice, Texas Department of Public Safety, Erie County (NY State), San Diego Police Department, DNA Labs International, Idaho State Police, DFS (District of Columbia), Michigan State Police, Scottsdale Police Department Crime Laboratory and San Diego Sheriff's Crime Laboratory.  

STRmix™ use is also growing worldwide with the following international labs also using it live in casework: 

Canada: CFS Toronto;  

UK: Scottish Police Authority,  Key Forensic Services;  

Europe:  Forensic Science Ireland;  

New Zealand:  Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR);

Australia:  Forensic Science South Australia, Queensland Health, Victoria Police Forensic Services Division, New South Wales Forensic & Analytical Science Service, PathWest (Western Australia), and Forensic Science Branch Northern Territory.

In addition, more than 40 other US, UK and European labs are currently validating STRmix™ for use.  

There has been recent media attention relating to a case in New York (The People of the State of New York against Oral Nicholas Hillary).  In this case we were pleased to see that the Judge ruled that “Based upon a review of the record, this court finds that STRmix has been developmentally validated and is generally accepted as reliable within the scientific community”.  As can happen in the criminal justice process, the specific evidence in this case was precluded for other case related reasons.  The full ruling can be found here(external link)

Within the US, STRmix™ has now been accepted in admissibility hearings in New York, Michigan, and Texas.  In addition, we are aware that to date DNA evidence interpreted with STRmix™ has been successfully used in more than 65 other court cases in the states of New York, California, Idaho, Michigan, Texas, Georgia, Wyoming, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Florida.  In these cases STRmix™ evidence has been reported by forensic biologists from the laboratory, underlining that STRmix™ can be understood and represented by DNA analysts.  We expect this  number to grow rapidly as more and more laboratories come on line with STRmix™ for casework.