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

Abstract

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.