CODIS
CODIS is the national DNA database system run by the FBI, used to store and search forensic DNA profiles to link crimes, identify suspects, and exonerate the innocent.
CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) is the U.S. federal program that enables forensic DNA laboratories to store, maintain, and search DNA profiles from crime scenes, convicted offenders, and arrestees. Developed and supported by the FBI, it serves as a national database to link criminal cases, identify suspects, and exonerate the innocent. Its scope includes both state and federal forensic labs, ensuring integrated governance for DNA evidence across the United States.
What this means in real life
When police collect DNA from a crime scene and run it through CODIS, they may get a match to a person already in the database—either because they were convicted of a prior crime or arrested—helping investigators identify a suspect without traditional eyewitness evidence.
What it isn’t
CODIS is not a universal genetic database of all citizens. It contains only profiles from people convicted of certain crimes, arrestees in participating jurisdictions, and evidence from crime scenes—not the general population.
Commonly misused online
Social media often portrays CODIS as an all-knowing DNA registry that can instantly identify anyone, when in reality it only contains profiles from specific legal categories and has significant gaps in coverage.