In accordance with the SWGDAM Bylaws, Section V, the SWGDAM Body is
organized into Committees that concentrate on different substantive areas
of forensic DNA analysis related to the support of the FBI’s National Quality
Assurance Standards and National DNA Index System (NDIS) Operational
Procedures.  Over the years, SWGDAM has had many standing Committees

in subject areas such as Quality Assurance and CODIS and has convened

other Working Groups, Committees of Correspondence, or other ad hoc groups

as needed to discuss specific topic areas that have arisen within the forensic

DNA testing community.  All SWGDAM Committees and other groups are                                                                          empaneled and tasked by the SWGDAM Chair and any work adopted by SWGDAM                                                                            is shared via SWGDAM.org.  Current SWGDAM Standing Committees include:

 

Autosomal STR Committee 

The Autosomal STR Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues related to the analysis interpretation, and reporting of autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) analysis methods by forensic DNA testing laboratories.

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Tasks

• The STR Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Autosomal STR Typing for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories.
   

• The STR Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) and/or NDIS Operational Procedures Manual.

 

CODIS Committee

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This CODIS Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues relating to the use of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in federal, state, and local forensic laboratories.

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Tasks

• The CODIS Committee will discuss topics related to the use of CODIS by law enforcement laboratories conducting forensic DNA testing.
   

• The CODIS Committee will review issues relating to the operation of CODIS such as software functionality and performance.
   

• The CODIS Committee will review issues submitted by the NDIS Procedures Board or via QAS@fbi.gov and collaborate on the development of responses for the CODIS Unit of the FBI Laboratory.

 

Investigative Genetic Genealogy Committee

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The Investigative Genetic Genealogy Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues for agencies considering the use of investigative genetic genealogy in their investigations.

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Tasks

• The IGG Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the SWGDAM Overview of Investigative Genetic Genealogy.
   

• The IGG Committee will recommend what, if any, future work products SWGDAM should consider publishing on the topic of investigative genetic genealogy.
   

• The IGG Committee will monitor the use of and review the issues related to the use of investigative genetic genealogy and make regular reports to SWGDAM.

 

Laboratory Operations Committee

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The Laboratory Operations Committee is tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues related to the efficient generation of high-quality DNA testing data by forensic laboratories in compliance with all Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) and NDIS Operational Procedure requirements.

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Tasks

• The Laboratory Operations Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the:​

  • SWGDAM Recommendations for the Efficient DNA Processing of Sexual Assault Evidence Kits

  • SWGDAM Guidelines for the Validation of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems

  • SWGDAM Guidelines for the Collection and Serological Examination of Biological Evidence

  • SWGDAM Guidelines for STR Enhanced Detection Methods

  • SWGDAM Validation Guidelines for Forensic DNA Analysis Methods
     

• The Laboratory Operations Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) and/or NDIS Operational Procedures Manual.

 

Lineage Marker Committee

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The Lineage Marker Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues relating to the analysis interpretation, and reporting of forensic mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome testing data.

 

Tasks

• The Lineage Marker Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the:

  • SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Mitochondrial DNA Analysis for Forensic DNA Laboratories

  • SWGDAM Supplemental Information for the SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Mitochondrial DNA                                       Analysis for Forensic DNA Laboratories

  • SWGDAM Guidelines for Missing Persons Casework

  • SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Y-chromosome STR Analysis by Forensic DNA Laboratories

  • SWGDAM Supplemental Information for the SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Y-chromosome STR                                       Analysis for Forensic DNA Laboratories

  • SWGDAM Contamination Prevention and Detection Guidelines for Forensic DNA Laboratories

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• The Lineage Marker Committee will provide guidance for the identification, categorization, and interpretation of mixed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome STR typing results.

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• The Lineage Marker Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the FBI’s Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) and/or NDIS Operational Procedures Manual.

 

Quality Assurance Committee

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The Quality Assurance Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues relating to monitoring and maintaining the quality of DNA testing results in forensic DNA laboratories.

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Tasks

• The QA Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the SWGDAM Training Guidelines.
   

• The QA Committee will recommend revisions and/or additions, as necessary, to the SWGDAM QAS Guidance Document which provides supplemental guidance for specific standards and is intended to assist laboratories and auditors to better understand the objective(s) of a given QAS standard and its application to a specific situation(s).
   

• The QA Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) and/or NDIS Operational Procedures Manual.
   

• The QA Committee serves as the primary body for reviewing the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) on behalf of SWGDAM and for the curation of proposed changes to the QAS recommended by other SWGDAM Committees.​

 

Next Generation Sequencing Committee

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The Next Generation Sequencing Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues relating to the forensic applications of next generation sequencing (NGS).

 

Tasks

• The NGS Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Analysis for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories.
   

• The NGS Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the SWGDAM Interpretation Guidelines for Mitochondrial DNA Analysis for Forensic DNA Laboratories

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• The NGS Committee will monitor the potential forensic applications of NGS and generate and/or review performance data using such methods and make regular reports to SWGDAM.

 

Rapid DNA Committee

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The Rapid-DNA Committee is a standing committee tasked to identify, evaluate, and research issues relating to the analysis interpretation, and reporting of Rapid-DNA testing data both in the laboratory and non-laboratory environments.

 

Tasks

• The Rapid-DNA Committee will discuss topics related to the use of R-DNA by law enforcement agencies both within and outside the laboratory.
   

• The Rapid-DNA Committee will review issues relating to the use of Rapid-DNA technology such as instrument performance, legislative considerations, and pilot testing of software functionality and performance.
   

• The Rapid-DNA Committee will review and, as necessary, recommend revisions to the Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) and/or NDIS Operational Procedures Manual.
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Please click here for information regarding the activities of the current SWGDAM Committees or here for a current listing of SWGDAM Committee participants.