The Problems With Touch DNA and Low-Template DNA in Criminal Cases – A Guide From a Minnesota Criminal Defense & Forensic Attorney

Touch DNA and low-template DNA (also called low-copy-number DNA) have become increasingly common in criminal prosecutions over the past two decades. The premise sounds powerful: investigators can recover DNA from objects that were merely touched or brushed, and labs can amplify traces so small that they contain only a handful of cells. Prosecutors often present…