October 31, 2023
Kinship Analysis in Forensic Science
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Lori Boies and Mrs. Duesterhoeft for their guidance and support throughout the process and direction in the early stages of this research project. I am also grateful for my classmates, and colleagues for their thoughtful feedback on my work. I would also like to acknowledge my family for their encouragement and understanding throughout this project. Their patience and support have been a constant source of motivation.
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Destiny O’Keefe
I was born and raised in Southern California in the Aerospace Valley. Upon graduation in Spring 2024, receiving my bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science with an emphasis in Biology, I plan to continue my education pursuing a Masters degree in Genetic Counseling.
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kmolina2
Very interesting infographic! I admired the overlap of the forensic science and biology/genetic aspects for the greater good. The use of “The Boy in the Box” case was a great touch. It is amazing to see how far we have come to use techniques such as Kinship analysis to serve justice where it is needed. However, I am curious to know how ethical issues will arise and/or be addressed with this technique. Specifically the issues of privacy, consent, and possible emotional consequences.
03/03/2024
1:34 pm
sphipps1
As someone who is currently taking Genetic Principles, and as someone who has always had a big interest in forensic science, I found your infographic to be so interesting! I was not aware of Kinship Analysis or what it consisted of but your graphic allowed me to learn and understand it quickly. A specific detail that caught my eye was the information surrounding “The Boy in a Box”, I actually remember reading about that case and watching several videos on it and it was nice to know that genetics has helped close that case. Excellent job!
03/03/2024
1:34 pm
aortega28
Hi Destiny, your infographic was fascinating. Knowing how genetics/Kinship analysis works with forensic science was interesting. I like how you include a case study to show how the Kinship analysis works to solve crime. It shows how over time technology continues to grow and it can make it easier and faster to solve different cases. I like how you include visuals to show the emphasis on Kinship analysis has been such a key tool in solving cases.
03/03/2024
1:34 pm
Olivia
It is great to see another aspect of how advancements in technology have benefitted humanity. I like how your infographic emphasized the number of cases that were solved, 500 families and friends now have closure as to what happened to their loved one because of this development. I was curious as to what the HLA system of white blood cells means, a description of that would have been nice, but overall, the information was well organized, and I love how you included a specific case of when kinship analysis solved a crime.
04/03/2024
1:34 pm
aramirez104
Very informative and great organization! Forensic genealogy is not easy to sum up because of how many advancements in technology and the amount of science that goes into explaining the core concepts, but you did such a great job touching on the facts and background for a general audience! The numbers you shared are fascinating and useful when considering the importance and implications of genetics in forensic science. Nice graphics too!
04/03/2024
1:34 pm
Jacqueline Guardia
Hello Destiny! I am a forensic science major, and I found the infographic that you shared to be super interesting. I haven’t heard about Kinship Analysis before, but it sounds incredible. The ability to identify familial relationships through DNA analysis is remarkable. I really appreciate the fact that you have provided a perspective on the “500” cases that have been solved with this technique. Your infographic is great!
04/03/2024
1:34 pm
Madison Magaro
Hi Destiny! I really enjoyed reading your infographic about Kinship analysis. I like how concise and organized it is making it easy to follow. I have never heard of Kinship analysis, but it is cool to see that they use it to find family members and genetic information to try and solve a case. It is crazy to see that over 500 murders and rapes have been solved due to kinship analysis.
05/03/2024
1:34 pm
Alexa Miner
Hello! This is an amazing infographic. I recently watched a documentary about “The Boy in a Box,” and it broke my heart. More people need to know about Kinship Analysis, especially those who have lost a family member. This infographic was very easy to read and understand, nice job!
05/03/2024
1:34 pm
Lonni Garcia
Hi Destiny! I am also a forensic science major but with an emphasis in criminology. I found your infographic to be very interesting because of how you correlated kinship analysis to your field, forensic science. I also enjoyed how you mentioned the “The Boy in the Box” case because I’m familiar with that case and saw how much we progressed from not knowing who he was to now figuring out his name. Usually when I learn about what goes on when seeing how investigators utilize genetic testing, they don’t often go in depth on how the testing is conducted.
05/03/2024
1:34 pm
jvillarreal68
Hi Density! Your infographic is very informative and insightful on kinship tests. As a forensic science major, I found it interesting on your research. Personally, I have done some research on genetic genealogy, but you provided information that I did not know. After reading your infographic, I feel like I am very knowledgeable about the relationship between genealogy and biology.
28/02/2024
1:34 pm