When Low-Level DNA Comes Back Inconclusive: What Investigators Should Do Next
Short answer
An “Inconclusive” DNA result often sounds like the DNA is unusable.
For investigators, that is usually the wrong way to understand it.
What Does “Inconclusive” Really Mean?
In practice, “inconclusive” usually means the current DNA interpretation or reporting resulted in no information.
It does not necessarily mean the item has no value. It means the interpretation method could not provide any information regarding DNA contributors.
Why an Inconclusive Result May Not Be the End
In our recent peer-reviewed Heliyon paper, we established that low-level and mixed evidence can lose useful information with threshold methods or limited reporting. The same paper also shows that low-LR results can still be reported with error rate context.
For investigators, that means an inconclusive first answer may not be the end.
Can a Small or Weak Low-Level DNA Result Still Matter?
Sometimes, yes.
A limited result is easy to dismiss because it sounds like there is too little information to help. But a limited result is not the same as an unusable result.
Our recent peer-reviewed findings confirm that low-LR results can still be reported with context that helps explain how the result should be understood. That matters because the number alone should not automatically discard reportable DNA information.
Does Low-Level DNA Always Mean the Evidence Is Too Weak to Use?
No.
Low-level DNA means that limited interpretation or reporting protocols produce uninformative results. It does not automatically mean the DNA data are too weak to help the case.
The practical question is whether the item still matters and whether the same data still deserves another look using TrueAllele computer interpretation.
What to Do Next After an Inconclusive Result
If the item still matters, the next step is usually straightforward:
- gather the DNA data and current report
- inquire about TrueAllele re-interpretation
- decide after screening whether to get a court-ready report
These steps turn “inconclusive” into information.
Short Proof Example
The Honolulu bucket hat case is a useful reminder of that principle: critical evidence may have limited or no reportable DNA answers using older interpretation or reporting protocols.
Ready to Submit?
Tell us about your case. We’ll review it and tell you if we can get more information from the DNA data.
Free Screening
We don’t retest physical evidence items. We interpret the electronic DNA data a lab already generated.