By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – If prosecutors have DNA evidence available, they can’t resist using it. A U of I researcher has found the odds of a sex assault conviction are nine times greater than with no DNA.

It’s not foolproof, but Ted Cross, a professor of social work, says his research underscores the importance of having quality labs and top notch examiners.

“Our study found that, both through interviews with proscutors and analysis of case records,” Cross said, “they felt it was very important to show the jury that they had crossed their T’s and dotted their I’s.”

That’s partly because tee vee shows like “CSI” have conditioned people on juries to expect prosecutors to put on ironclad forensic evidence.

The research, published in the journal Violence Against Women, was also performed by professor Megan Alderden of DePaul University and doctoral candidates Laura Siller and Maja Vlajnic of Northeastern University.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]