From the crime scene to the courtroom, having valid and reliable forensic science is essential. Standards help to enhance the validity and reliability of results – but they are only beneficial if they are used. OSAC encourages forensic science service providers to implement the standards on the OSAC Registry into their everyday practice.
Implementation of standards can help to improve consistency within and across forensic science disciplines, ensure confidence in the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of results, and positively impact admissibility and expert testimony in courts of law.
Complete OSAC’s Registry Implementation Declaration Form and send it to forensics [at] nist.gov (forensics[at]nist[dot]gov) to let us know.
Your organization will subsequently be awarded an OSAC Registry Implementer Certificate.
OSAC does not have the authority to enforce standards. Therefore, we rely on forensic science service providers to self-adopt standards and best practices. Fortunately, the forensic science community strongly supports standards development. For example, seven professional forensic science organizations, represented on OSAC’s FSSB, have issued public statements of support for OSAC and standards implementation.
Additionally, 152 forensic science service providers (FSSPs) across the U.S. have self-declared their use of standards on the OSAC Registry. These OSAC Registry Implementers include:
Standards implementation is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each forensic science service provider (FSSP) and discipline will have unique needs and approaches. FSSPs should implement the standards (or portions of standards) that work best for their situation.
Whether an FSSP is new to standards implementation, or has already put it into action, here are some tips to help. Learn more about each of these by clicking on the headings below.