The operationalization of a multifaceted, multijurisdictional, multiagency and multidisciplinary capability for unidentified and missing persons investigations in Australia

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ABSTRACT

In 2020, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) established the National DNA Program for Unidentified and Missing Persons (Program) in a dedicated effort to identify up to 750 unidentified human remains (UHR), scientifically link them to long-term missing persons (LTMP) and provide answers to their families. This Australian-first initiative has implemented a multifaceted, multijurisdictional, multiagency and multidisciplinary approach for forensic human identification. To date, it has provided police, forensic and coronial agencies with an accessible suite of advanced forensic capabilities to expertly examine, or re-examine, 96 UHR and recover useable post-mortem information. Additionally, the Program’s multimedia family engagement and public education strategy has assisted to collect vital ante-mortem information to aid the identification process. The application of new forensic techniques and improved use of databases has enabled the Program to triage UHR of coronial significance, inform the management of other (e.g. ancestral, anatomical or animal) remains and link 18 UHR to 16 LTMP so far. The national coordination and centralization of Program capabilities, expertise and resources, and the forging of collaborative stakeholder partnerships, has proven to be the most effective and efficient way to generate investigative leads, identify UHR, locate LTMP and resolve decades-old cases in Australia.

KEYWORDS:

• Missing persons
• unidentified human remains
• National DNA Program
• forensic human identification
• biometric databases
• interdisciplinary forensic approach

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the:

● Department of Home Affairs and Attorney-General’s Department

● Core Program members, specifically Shelley Seddon, Dr Kelly Grisedale, Michelle Spiden, Alicia Gagliardi, Prof Dennis McNevin, Jessica Watson and Desiree Davis

● Forensic specialists and service providers, specifically Dr Selina Leow, Dr Denise Donlon, Australian National University Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics, Genetic Genealogy Pty Ltd and Othram, Inc.

● AFP National Missing Persons Coordination Centre and Forensics members

● State, Territory and Commonwealth police, forensic, coronial and intelligence agency partners

● Families of long-term missing persons

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The Program received funding from the Criminal Assets Account under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth).