The Detection of Y Chromosomes in Bloodstains—A Reevaluation

Traditional approaches to the grouping of bloodstains in forensic science involve a comparison of blood groups found in a stain with those of the suspect or victim involved in a crime. However, in some instances, such as those crimes in which no control blood samples are available, the blood grouping data alone are of little value to either the police officer or the courts. Information, however, relating to an individual's physical appearance, such as sex or age, which can be derived from a bloodstain is of value even in the absence of control blood. Such an approach to bloodstain investigation has been discussed earlier [1] and forms the philosophic basis of the present work concerned with the determination of the sex of the donor of a bloodstain.