ABSTRACT
In the public perception, probably the most important application of genetics is its use in forensic science. Hardly a week goes by without a report in the media of a murder or rape that has been solved thanks to DNA. The increasing sophistication of the technology means that not only are recent crimes being solved, but so also are many “cold cases” dating back tens of years. As well as the reports of real events on the front pages of newspapers, the television guides are also full of dramas in which glamorous geneticists use DNA to fi ght the forces of evil.
