Significant advances in DNA analysis techniques have surfaced since the 1997 publication of the bestselling An Introduction to Forensic DNA Analysis‎.‎ DNA typing has become increasingly automated and miniaturized‎.‎ Also‎,‎ with the advent of Short Tandem Repeat ‎(‎STR‎)‎ technology‎,‎ even the most minute sample of degraded DNA can yield a profile‎,‎ providing valuable case information‎.‎ However‎,‎ just as the judicial system slowly and reluctantly accepted RFLP and AmpliType® PM+DQA1 typing‎,‎ it is now scrutinizing the admissibility of STRs‎.‎ Acknowledging STR typing as the current system of choice‎,‎ An Introduction to Forensic DNA Analysis‎,‎ Second Edition translates new and established concepts into plain English so that laypeople can gain insight into how DNA analysis works‎,‎ from sample collection to interpretation of results‎.‎ In response to the shift toward more efficient techniques‎,‎ the authors cover the legal admissibility of STR typing‎,‎ expand the chapter on DNA databases‎,‎ and revise the section on automated analysis‎.‎ They also present key decisions and appellate or supreme court rulings that provide precedent at the state and federal levels‎.‎ Discussing forensic DNA issues from both a scientific and a legal perspective‎,‎ the authors of An Introduction to Forensic DNA Analysis‎,‎ Second Edition present the material in a manner understandable by professionals in the legal system‎,‎ law enforcement‎,‎ and forensic science‎.‎ They cover general principles in a clear fashion and include a glossary of terms and other useful appendices for easy reference‎.‎