Starting with a broad introduction of modern forensic molecular technologies, the text covers key issues from the initial scenes of crime sampling to the use of evidential material in the prosecution of legal cases. The book also explores the questions raised by the growing debate on the applications of national DNA databases and the resulting challenges of developing, maintaining and curating such vast data structures. The broader range of applications to non-human cases is also discussed, as are the statistical pitfalls of using so called unique data such as DNA profiles and the ethical considerations of national DNA databases.