Virtual Training for Forensic DNA Professionals: Kinship and Parentage Analysis

Forensics TTA | March 2026

Developed by the Forensics TTA Program, led by RTI International, in collaboration with Bode Technology with funding provided by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), this self-paced, web-based training is designed specifically for BJA Forensics Programs grantees. The course was created to address a critical gap in accessible kinship analysis training resources for forensic DNA professionals. While kinship analysis has long been used in parentage and family relationship testing, it holds significant value in forensic casework including missing persons investigations, unidentified human remains cases, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes.

Designed for DNA analysts with approximately 3–5 years of experience, this no-cost, self-paced training provides a structured introduction to the theoretical and statistical foundations of kinship analysis, along with practical applications in forensic casework. Through interactive content, guided calculations, and knowledge checks, participants will build the skills needed to evaluate and interpret kinship relationships in real-world forensic scenarios.

The training is structured across the following modules:

Module 1 – Principles and Applications
Module 2 – Statistical and Population Database Overview
Module 3.1 – Applied Parentage Statistics and Casework: Standard Trio Analysis
Module 3.2 – Applied Parentage Statistics and Casework: Sole Parentage Analysis
Module 3.3 – Applied Parentage Statistics and Casework: Reverse Parentage Analysis
Module 3.4 – Applied Parentage Statistics and Casework: Pairwise Kinship Analysis – Siblings
Module 4 – Implementation and Additional Resources

By completing this training, BJA Forensics Program grantees will be equipped with advanced tools and applied knowledge to strengthen their laboratory capabilities and better support investigative partners in addressing some of the most complex and high-impact cases facing the criminal justice system today.

This online training has been approved by the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) for recertification credits through RTI International.

Course Access Instructions:

This course is restricted to BJA Forensics Programs grantees and requires a password for course enrollment. If you are a BJA Forensics Programs grantee and did not receive the course enrollment password, please complete this form and a member of the Forensics TTA Team will be in touch to assist with your request: Course Access Request.

This training course is housed on the Forensics TTA Virtual Academy. To access this training course, please navigate to the Virtual Training for Forensic DNA Professionals: Kinship and Parentage Analysis and log in using your Forensics TTA Virtual Academy email address and password.

If you have an account but have not logged in since November 13, 2025, you will need to reset your password before you can log in. Also please make sure to verify that your account information is accurate at: https://academy.forensicstta.org/user/profile.php.
If this is your first time accessing the Forensics TTA Virtual Academy, you may need to create an account or reset your password. If you need to create an account, please follow these instructions: 
1. Create a profile by following this link: https://academy.forensicstta.org/login/signup.php.
2. Check your email to authenticate your profile. If you do not receive an email to your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you do not receive a verification email after checking your spam folder, please contact ForensicsTTA@rti.org.
3. Navigate to the Virtual Training for Forensic DNA Professionals: Kinship and Parentage Analysis.

Please contact the Forensics TTA team via ForensicsTTA@rti.org with any questions or feedback on this resource!