Toward the Development of the STR Utility Index (SUI): A Conceptual Framework for Quantifying Pre-Analytical Biological Evidence Utility

Md. Imran Wahab; Cathryne Smith

Toward the Development of the STR Utility Index (SUI): A Conceptual Framework for Quantifying Pre-Analytical Biological Evidence Utility

Author(s)	Mr. Md. Imran Wahab, Ms. Cathryne Smith
Country	India
Abstract	Forensic biological evidence remains one of the most widely relied upon forms of physical evidence in criminal investigations, particularly through short tandem repeat (STR) analysis for human identification. Despite substantial advances in forensic DNA interpretation, uncertainty quantification remains largely confined to post-analytical stages, after biological material has already been consumed through extraction, amplification, and electrophoretic analysis. This limitation creates operational inefficiencies, contributes to laboratory backlogs, and may result in the irreversible expenditure of finite biological evidence without prior assessment of likely evidentiary value. This paper introduces the conceptual foundation for a proposed STR Utility Index (SUI), a pre-analytical framework designed to estimate the likelihood that biological evidence will yield interpretable and actionable STR profiles prior to full laboratory processing. The framework integrates measurable variables associated with DNA degradation, including biological source, substrate type, environmental exposure, preservation conditions, estimated time since deposition, and postmortem interval, into a structured probabilistic model of evidentiary utility. By extending uncertainty quantification into earlier stages of forensic workflows, the SUI offers a theoretical mechanism for improving evidence triage, resource allocation, and decision transparency across forensic laboratories and law enforcement agencies. This conceptual framework establishes a foundation for future empirical development, computational modeling, and operational validation. Keywords: STR Utility Index, forensic DNA, uncertainty quantification, evidence triage, degraded biological evidence, forensic decision-making
Keywords	STR Utility Index (SUI), Forensic DNA Analysis, Biological Evidence, Short Tandem Repeats (STR), Pre-analytical Assessment, Evidence Triage, DNA Degradation, Probabilistic Decision-Making, Forensic Evidence Management
Field	Biology > Genetics / Molecular
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-08-07

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Toward the Development of the STR Utility Index (SUI): A Conceptual Framework for Quantifying Pre-Analytical Biological Evidence Utility

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