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SWGDAM Mission Statement

The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods, better known by its acronym of SWGDAM, is a group of scientists representing Federal, State, and Local forensic DNA laboratories from across the United States. During meetings, SWGDAM and its constituent standing committees and other working groups discuss topics of interest to the forensic DNA community, develop guidance documents to enhance the delivery of forensic biology services, and propose changes to the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for consideration by the FBI Director.

About SWGDAM

SWGDAM is composed of dedicated forensic scientists from international, federal, state and local forensic DNA laboratories as well as Invited Guests representing academia and other federal agencies. Members are scientists who serve as DNA technical leaders or Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Administrators for their laboratories and who are recognized as leaders in the area of forensic human DNA identification. Invited Guests are recognized forensic DNA experts drawn from academia, other non-law enforcement federal laboratories, and international agencies who provide their specific expertise in areas that include research, lineage marker testing, population genetics, statistics, and probabilistic genotyping.

The responsibilities of SWGDAM are to: (1) recommend revisions to the Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and the Quality Assurance Standards for DNA Databasing Laboratories colloquially referred to as the QAS; (2) serve as a forum to discuss, share, and evaluate forensic biology methods, protocols, training, and research to enhance the delivery of forensic biology services; and (3) to recommend and conduct research to develop and/or validate forensic biology methods.

SWGDAM holds regularly scheduled meetings in January and July and its committees and other working groups regularly meet virtually to conduct work on various taskings and work products.

Updates

New SWGDAM Task-Specific Working Group!!! SWGDAM has convened a new SAK Working Group to revise its 2016 SWGDAM Recommendations for the Efficient DNA Processing of Sexual Assault Evidence Kits which are available on the Publications Page. This SWGDAM document was originally developed by its SAFER Working Group and describes various laboratory processes, with a primary focus on sexual assault evidence kits. The advantages and disadvantages of each process are provided to recommend those practices that have been effective in obtaining probative evidence for the timely investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases. Forensic practices in use in laboratories across the nation are included for illustrative purposes. These recommendations were originally published to both complement NIJ’s National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach that were published in 2017 as well as to serve as a standalone document containing DNA-related SAK information that then could be revised as necessary.

New SWGDAM Position Statement on ALR!!! SWGDAM has published a new SWGDAM Position Statement on Formal Activity Level Reporting that identifies significant scientific, practical, and legal impediments to adoption of formal Activity Level Reporting (ALR) in the United States which is available on the Publications Page.