FDC Quality Assurance & Accreditation Flashcards

What is an administrative review in forensic DNA casework?

Answer: A review for completeness, consistency, and clerical accuracy of the case record

Administrative review checks that documentation is complete, signatures are present, and the report is consistent with laboratory policies — it does not re-evaluate the scientific data.

What must a laboratory do when a contamination event is confirmed in a forensic DNA case?

Answer: Investigate the source, document findings, take corrective action, and notify affected parties

When contamination is confirmed, the laboratory must conduct a root cause investigation, implement corrective action, and notify relevant parties such as the submitting agency.

Which document defines the specific steps an analyst must follow to perform a DNA analysis procedure in a forensic lab?

Answer: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) provides step-by-step instructions for performing laboratory procedures and must be approved and kept current.

What is the purpose of an analytical threshold (AT) in STR interpretation?

Answer: To define the minimum peak height above which data is considered reliable for interpretation

The analytical threshold defines the minimum peak height (RFU) at which a signal is considered a true allele rather than instrument noise.

During a laboratory audit, an auditor finds that an analyst deviated from the SOP without documentation. What is the typical consequence?

Answer: A corrective action is required and the deviation must be documented and evaluated

Undocumented SOP deviations require a corrective action report and an evaluation of whether the deviation affected case results.

What is a stochastic effect in low-template DNA analysis?

Answer: Random PCR amplification bias that can cause allele dropout, drop-in, or peak height imbalance

Stochastic effects occur with low DNA template quantities and result in random amplification variation, including allele dropout (missing alleles) and drop-in (spurious alleles).