| The majority of the companies offering DNA | | | | DNA testing is subject to the legal code of the |
| testing services provide DNA analysis and | | | | jurisdiction of the state where it is being |
| counseling for researching biological relationships. | | | | undertaken. In most cases, testing is undertaken |
| Most of these laboratories offer DNA testing kits | | | | voluntary but incase of search warrant or court |
| at no charge for potential customers, in order to | | | | order, the testing is made mandatory. Several |
| improvise on their database. | | | | jurisdictions have now started assembling |
| DNA testing, DNA typing or DNA profiling is one | | | | databases containing DNA information of convicts. |
| of promising techniques used to distinguish | | | | The United Kingdom has the most extensive DNA |
| between individuals of the same species. The | | | | database in the world, with over two million |
| process uses samples of their DNA for identifying | | | | records by the end of 2005. |
| their genetics. In 1985, the process was publicly | | | | The companies offering these kits access an |
| launched by Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of | | | | individual's case to determine the type of testing |
| Leicester. Genetic fingerprinting exploits highly | | | | best suited for him, i.e., either a personal DNA or |
| variable repeating sequences called microsatellites | | | | legal DNA test. They also provide necessary |
| in finding the differences between two human | | | | materials for DNA collections, and the results are |
| beings. The process states that two unrelated | | | | given to the person in three to five working days. |
| humans are likely to have different numbers of | | | | Mostly, DNA reports produced by the testing are |
| microsatellites at a given locus. By using PCR to | | | | fully accredited by the law, because most of the |
| detect the number of repeats at several loci, the | | | | companies comply by methods specifically drawn |
| process establishes a match that is unlikely to | | | | by the state laws. |
| have arisen by coincidence. | | | | |