Introduction to DNA TrACK

DNA TrACK is a freely accessible, web-based literature database designed to support evidence evaluation in criminal proceedings involving DNA traces.

While DNA evidence is often treated as objective proof of involvement in a crime, the presence of someone's DNA at a scene or on an object does not, by itself, establish how it got there. DNA can be transferred through everyday social contact, persist on surfaces for extended periods, or arrive via secondary or tertiary transfer pathways entirely unrelated to a criminal act. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for fair and scientifically sound evidence evaluation.

This platform provides structured access to the international body of research on DNA transfer, persistence, and activity-level assessment. Originally developed at the Chair of Forensic Molecular Genetics (Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Cornelius Courts), DNA-TrAC-Web transforms this curated scientific knowledge into a tool that defense attorneys, courts, prosecutors, and forensic experts can use—regardless of their technical background.

DNA TRaCK enables you to:

• Research alternative hypotheses for how a DNA trace may have originated
• Identify relevant scientific studies for specific case scenarios
• Understand which variables must be considered when evaluating DNA evidence at the activity level