In the last chapter, we discussed the first method (RFLP) used in DNA typing. This procedure targeted relatively long DNA fragments (VNTRs) containing many repeated units of a base pair sequence. We ended by noting that they were not amenable to automation and therefore not destined for widespread forensic applications. However, by the early 1990s, many factors coalesced to set the stage for a leap in DNA typing capabilities. For example, the forensic and legal community had adjusted to DNA evidence, and analysts had moved from serological techniques such as ABO to genetic typing utilizing multiple DNA markers. Additionally, researchers in molecular biology, including in genomic sequencing, had identified many shorter repeat sequences that exhibited variation among individuals in a population.