This intensive two-day program is designed to provide a basic familiarity with DNA analysis and interpretation for defense attorneys who have limited experience with DNA but who have a current DNA case (or some other compelling motivation to spend two days immersed in forensic DNA analysis), and for people who feel like a refresher course would be of value. The first day will cover the fundamentals of DNA testing (how to read a case file, laboratory procedures, and discovery), basic statistics (focusing on the various methods used to estimate the significance of a DNA "match"), and cognitive bias. The second day will focus on current issues in DNA analysis (mixtures, low template samples, databases, and probabilistic genotyping software) and litigating DNA cases (including admissibility challenges and trial strategies). There will be workshops at the end of each day to give participants an opportunity to apply what they have learned to a real case.

This training is a collaborative effort of the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Northern District of California, and the Contra Costa County Public Defender, with the support of the Defender Services Office Training Division. The DNA Boot Camp will be held at the Federal Conference Center in Oakland, California on November 8 and 9, 2018 and will cost $150.00. Attendance is limited to 60 people.

If you are interested, please click the link below to fill out an application by September 1, 2018. We will send out the list of accepted attendees by September 8, 2017. Contact Rebecca Brackman at Rebecca.brackman@pd.cccounty.us or Ellen Leonida at Ellen_Leonida@fd.org with any questions.