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DNA-Prokids: Using DNA Technology to Help Fight the Trafficking of Children

NCJ Number
231402
Journal
Forensic Magazine Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: April/May 2010 Pages: 15-19
Author(s)
Arthur Eisenberg, Ph.D.; Lisa Schade, B.S., MHR
Date Published
April 2010
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article presents an overview of DNA-Prokids (Program for Kids Identification with DNA Systems) a humanitarian effort developed to help fight the trafficking of children.
Abstract
With initial funding given to the University of Granada (UGR) by the Spanish Government, the Government of the State of Andalusia, and from private companies and foundations, the DNA-Prokids (Programs for Kids Identification with DNA Systems) was developed as an international humanitarian effort to help identify missing children in order to reunited abducted and homeless children with their parents and to provide law enforcement agencies a scientific methodology to help deter the human trafficking of children. In 2009, the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI), in Fort Worth, TX, partnered with the UGR to further the development and expansion of DNA-Prokids throughout the world. The development of DNA registries such as DNA-Prokids in countries throughout the world, especially in those that are most susceptible to human trafficking, may ultimately serve as a deterrent to the trafficking of children. Tables