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Communication Skills, Report Writing, and Courtroom Testimony for Forensic Analysts

Hair

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Reporting Guidelines - Hair

Test

Results

Reporting

Microscopic

Human hair with root with tissue observed

  • Microscopic examination determined the hair(s) to be of human origin and indicated the presence of tissue. Further characterization may be possible using nuclear DNA analysis.

Microscopic

Human hair which may have tissue present

  • Microscopic examination determined the hair(s) to be of human origin and indicated the possible presence of tissue. Further characterization may be possible using nuclear DNA analysis.

Microscopic

Human hair with root but no visible tissue

  • Microscopic examination determined the hair(s) to be of human origin with a root present. Further characterization may be possible using nuclear DNA analysis.

Microscopic

Human hair with no root, but hair is sufficient in length ( >1 cm)

  • Microscopic examination determined the hair(s) to be of human origin and insufficient for nuclear DNA analysis. Further characterization may be possible using mitochondrial DNA. Please contact the Forensic Biology section for a list of laboratories that conduct this analysis.

Microscopic

Human hair with no root, but hair is insufficient in length for further testing.

  • Microscopic examination determined the hair(s) to be of human origin and insufficient for nuclear DNA analysis. No further analysis is possible.

Microscopic

Non-Human hair

  • Microscopic examination determined the hair(s) to be of non-human origin.

Microscopic (root material only)

Alternate Reporting if already determined to be human

  • Hair from __ was suitable/not suitable for DNA analysis.

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