DNA-testing for crime scene investigations will soon identify criminals in a matter of HOURS

UK Home Office has invested 431,000 in development of 'Rapid DNA' The system will enable the identification of suspects in under two hours One device being introduced looks like a printer and accepts swabs It can be used by someone with no expertise and matches the inputted swab against the national DNA database to make a match And at Sheffield Hallam University in-depth fingerprint technology is being developed to reveal more about a criminal's background

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

Published: 05:50 EST, 28 July 2014 | Updated: 05:50 EST, 28 July 2014

CSI has taken a step closer to reality as rapid DNA testing that could identify killers in hours has been revealed.

The method reduces the time taken to identify suspects at a crime scene from days, preventing suspects going on the run or committing another offense before they are apprehended.

Rapid DNA, in tandem with innovative fingerprint technology, is being heralded as a significant revolution in crime scene investigations.

The UK Home Office has invested 431,000 ($732,000) in development of 'Rapid DNA' as part of the Police Innovation Fund. Through the endeavour they are hoping to improve the accuracy and speed of identifying suspects at a crime scene, and prevent instances of false identification

A technlogy being developed by Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) is offering more complete identification of criminals.

Their microscopic technology is called Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MALDI-MSI) and it traces drugs, hair and cleaning products in fingerprints.

It has been developed by researchers at SHUs Biomedical Research Centre (BMRC).

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DNA-testing for crime scene investigations will soon identify criminals in a matter of HOURS