The individuals had a variety of postmortem histories. The research focused on sequences of the amelogenin and HLA-DPB1 genes due to their value in sexing and identification. Sequences of the mitochondrial non-coding region V were also amplified to compare the recovery of mitochondrial and single-copy nuclear DNA. A variation of the silica method for DNA extraction was refined for application to the forensic specimens in the sample. Single-copy nuclear DNA was amplified from 100 percent of the 6 recent postoperative bone specimens, 80 percent of the 10 forensic teeth and bone specimens, 78 percent of the 18 recently extracted teeth, 78 percent of the 37 samples of bone up to 91 years old, and 69 percent of the 20 samples of 15-year-old bone fixed in 10 percent formalin. In addition, amelogenin sexing was correct in 85 percent of the 74 cases in which the sex of the donor had been recorded. No correlation existed between the age of the specimen and the extent of DNA preservation. Tables, figure, appended table, and 38 references (Author abstract modified)