Which two-word combination completes the statement: '________ samples should also be taken from the victim for purposes of ________'?

Which two-word combination completes the statement: '________ samples should also be taken from the victim for purposes of ________'?

• A. Known, identification
• B. Control, exclusion
• C. Reference, comparison
• D. Random, retention

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how using control samples from the victim supports reliable conclusions about who contributed DNA. Control samples provide a baseline to detect any contamination or lab noise, helping confirm that DNA found in evidence truly comes from the victim or from another source. By having this baseline, you can make an exclusion ruling with confidence if the evidence DNA does not match the victim’s profile, meaning the victim can be ruled out as the source. Other pairings don’t align as cleanly with this protective, verification role: taking samples for identification or comparison is about linking a person to evidence, not specifically safeguarding against contamination to enable exclusion, and keeping random samples for retention isn’t a standard objective tied to the victim’s sampling.

The idea being tested is how using control samples from the victim supports reliable conclusions about who contributed DNA. Control samples provide a baseline to detect any contamination or lab noise, helping confirm that DNA found in evidence truly comes from the victim or from another source. By having this baseline, you can make an exclusion ruling with confidence if the evidence DNA does not match the victim’s profile, meaning the victim can be ruled out as the source. Other pairings don’t align as cleanly with this protective, verification role: taking samples for identification or comparison is about linking a person to evidence, not specifically safeguarding against contamination to enable exclusion, and keeping random samples for retention isn’t a standard objective tied to the victim’s sampling.