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Police & ForensicsRapid DNA and the National DNA Index
Twenty flashcards on Rapid DNA at booking stations and in crime labs, and on the size of the FBI's national DNA index.
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20 cards
- What is Rapid DNA?
- A fully automated process that builds a DNA profile from a mouth swab in one to two hours, with no lab and no human review.
- What does Rapid DNA do at a booking station?
- Enrolls a qualifying arrestee's profile in CODIS, which searches it against all unsolved crimes within 24 hours.
- What is the DNA Index of Special Concern (DISC)?
- Complete crime scene profiles from unsolved homicides, sexual assaults, kidnappings, terrorism and other public-safety cases.
- What happens on a DISC match during booking?
- The booking, arresting and investigating agencies get an immediate notice through the NLETS network.
- Which law opened the way for Rapid DNA in CODIS?
- The Rapid DNA Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-50), federal law since August 18, 2017.
- What changed with the Rapid DNA Act?
- Profiles from approved Rapid DNA devices can enter CODIS; before, only an accredited lab scientist could develop them.
- Which Rapid DNA booking devices are approved for NDIS?
- The ANDE 6C Series G and the RapidHIT ID DNA Booking System.
- When did the first booking devices take effect?
- ANDE 6C Series G on February 1, 2021, and RapidHIT ID v1.0 on July 1, 2021.
- What must a booking agency have before sending Rapid DNA profiles?
- Live Scan fingerprint capture, criminal history integration and automated qualifying-offense integration.
- How often does a mouth swab give a full CODIS profile?
- About 85-90% of the time; if not, a second sample is run or sent to the lab.
- How much training does a Rapid DNA device need?
- Minimal, similar to operating a LiveScan fingerprint device.
- How many samples fit in one run?
- From 1 to 5, depending on the device.
- Since when can Rapid DNA be used on crime scene evidence for CODIS?
- Since July 1, 2025, under national quality standards with six criteria to meet.
- Who checks Rapid DNA crime scene data before CODIS?
- Qualified laboratory personnel, in what the FBI calls modified Rapid DNA analysis.
- Which cartridge is NDIS-approved for forensic samples?
- The Applied Biosystems (Thermo Fisher) RapidINTEL Plus.
- Why are mouth swabs ideal for Rapid DNA?
- They hold lots of fresh DNA from one person; crime scene samples vary and often mix several people.
- Disaster victim ID: examples of direct reference samples?
- Verified: clinical biopsy, blood or newborn screening sample. Deduced: toothbrush, razor, eyeglasses or jewelry.
- No direct sample: which relatives give reference DNA?
- Two or more, ideally parents, siblings, sons or daughters.
- How big is the National DNA Index (June 2026)?
- Over 20,317,558 offender profiles, 6,448,070 arrestee profiles and 1,487,942 forensic profiles.
- How much has CODIS helped (June 2026)?
- Over 808,813 hits, assisting in more than 784,252 investigations.
Official sources
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Rapid DNA
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Laboratory Division
Guide to All Things Rapid DNA, Version 1.2 (April 10, 2024)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
CODIS-NDIS Statistics (as of June 2026)
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