Compared with Traditional nuclear nDNA analysis, Mitochondrial mtDNA offers three primary benefits to forensic scientists:

* Its structure and location in the cell make mtDNA more stable, enabling investigators to test older or degraded samples
* mtDNA is available in larger quantities per cell – smaller samples can be tested
* mtDNA can be extracted from samples in which nDNA cannot, especially hair shafts and bone fragments.

MtDNA – Maternal Lineage Test

mtDNA sequence analysis is a valuable tool for determining whether individuals are biologically related through their mothers’ side of the family. This is commonly referred to as a maternal lineage test. An mtDNA maternal lineage test works by comparing the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of two or more individuals.

People who are biologically related in this way will have similar mtDNA sequences, while individuals who are not will have dissimilar mtDNA sequences.
Mitochondrial DNA- mtDNA - Testing for Cold Cases

The rise of mtDNA testing in the field of forensics means that cases that were previously thought hopeless, may now be resolved. Mitochondrial DNA in human cells is often more robust and more plentiful than nuclear DNA. MtDNA typing can be performed on hair shafts, bone, and teeth. As a result, mtDNA testing has been widely utilized by investigators in "cold case" police units