ss of determining an individual's DNA characteristics. DNA analysis intended to identify a species, rather than an individual, is called DNA barcoding The technique of DNA fingerprinting was developed in 1984 by British geneticist Alec Jeffreys, after he noticed that certain sequences of highly variable DNA (known as minisatellites), which do not contribute to the functions of genes , are repeated within genes.An early use of DNA fingerprinting was in legal disputes, notably to help solve crimes and to determine paternity. It is also used to identify inherited genetic diseases and can be used to identify genetic matches between tissue donors and recipients. DNA fingerprinting is also a valuable tool for confirming pedigree in animals, such as purebred dogs and racehorses.Sample contamination, faulty preparation procedures, and mistakes in interpretation of results are major sources of error in DNA fingerprinting. These issues can cause discrepancies between biological proof and legal proof in court cases. In forensics , large amounts of high-quality DNA are needed, yet forensic DNA samples frequently are degraded or are collected postmortem, rendering them of lower quality and subject to producing less reliable results than samples obtained from a living individual.