OSAC Lexicon
The OSAC Lexicon is a compendium of forensic science terms and definitions. This terminology tool was created to help bring consistency and understanding to the way terms are used by the various forensic science. Use of the OSAC Lexicon does not replace the need to reference the original published source.
The terms and definitions in the OSAC Lexicon come from the published literature, including documentary standards and technical reports. It is continually updated with the latest work from OSAC units, as well as terms from newly published documentary standards and standards elevated to the OSAC Registry.
Gradually terms are evaluated and harmonized by the OSAC to a single term. This process results in an OSAC Preferred Term. An OSAC Preferred Term is a term, along with its definition, that has undergone review and evaluation by the FSSB Terminology Task Group and has been approved by the FSSB. The FSSB recommends that subcommittees use OSAC Preferred Terms when drafting standards.
The OSAC Lexicon should be the primary resource for terminology and used when drafting and editing forensic science standards and other OSAC work products.
A particular persons scented article collected for use for investigative purposes.
A canine trained to locate and indicate items in question by means of detecting human scent.
Individual that laid a track/trail for a canine to follow to the exclusion of all other trails
Individual that laid a track/trail for a canine to follow to the exclusion of all other trails.
Individual that laid a track/trail for a canine to follow to the exclusion of all other trails.
recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation).
Search determinedly for someone or something
Search determinedly for someone or something.
The innate impulse of a canine to search determinedly using the senses of smell, sight, hearing, and/or taste.
The science of providing for the needs of an animal including housing, daily care, feeding, exercise, and meeting the behavioral/mental/emotional needs of the animal.
The science of providing for the needs of an animal including housing, daily care, feeding, exercise, and meeting the behavioral/mental/emotional needs of the animal.
An explosible heterogeneous mixture, comprising gas with suspended solid or liquid particulates, in which the total flammable gas concentration is 10 percent of the lower flammable limit (LFL) and the total suspended particulate concentration is 10 percent of the minimum explosible concentration (MEC). [68, 2018]
Interbreeding between two taxa that are considered to have diverged in their genetic makeup and taxonomic relationship (e.g., between members of different families, genera, or species). Hybridization commonly occurs between subspecies or closely related species.
Any substance that will spontaneously ignite or explode upon exposure to an oxidizer.
A segment of DNA that often contains polymorphisms and thus is useful for differentiating taxa or unrelated individuals.
A section of the human mtDNA control region spanning nucleotide positions 16024-16365, that often differs among non-maternally related individuals.
A section of the human mtDNA control region spanning nucleotide positions 16024-16365, that often differs among non-maternally related individuals.
A section of the human mtDNA control region spanning nucleotide positions 73-340, that often differs among non-maternally related individuals.
A section of the human mtDNA control region spanning nucleotide positions 73-340, that often differs among non-maternally related individuals.
Abbreviation for Hertz, which is the measure of the frequency of oscillations. It is thefundamental property of sound that determines pitch.
Hertz is the international unit of measurement of frequency. One hertz corresponds to one cycle per second.
An international professional organization for medicolegal death investigation offices, coroners, medical examiners, and other practitioners of medicolegal death investigation that provides education and training. IACME offers a voluntary inspection and accreditation program for medicolegal death investigation offices (see www.theiacme.com).
Acronym for the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System of the FBI.
Acronym for Iris Acquisition Profile. It is a series of sets of progressively morestringent parameters and requirements relevant to iris acquisition. [2015a>] In theMobile ID Best Practices Recommendations Version 1, face, finger and iris applicationprofiles were all referred to as SAP. They are referred to separately in this standard.This was changed in Mobile ID Best Practices Recommendations Version 2 to beconsistent with this standard.
International Biometric Industry Association.
The International Civil Aviation Organization.
International Color Consortium.
A population of individuals based on ancestry or population specificity that reflects a similar genetic, geographic, and environmental background.
Assignment or distinguishment of an unknown object, compound, biological sample, or other evidence to the most specific class or level reliably attainable under the analytical scheme used.
NOTE: Uncertainty and limitations always remain in any finding
NOTE: Presence of this term in the OSAC Lexicon does not endorse its use in place of relevant interpretation scale levels for the discipline or method
NOTE: Although this term is used informally, the term should not be used in written or oral interpretations or opinions for any discipline for conveying source of the evidence.
Also referenced in ASB TR 097, Terminology Used for Forensic Footwear and Tire Evidence, ANSI/ASTM E1732-24e1 Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science.
The individual or group responsible for rendering identifications.
The International Electrotechnical Commission.
Improvised Explosive Device
Any liquid or the liquid phase of any material that is capable of fueling a fire, including a flammable liquid, combustible liquid, or any other material that can be liquefied and burned.
Canines specifically trained to locate and respond to the presence of certain classes of ignitable liquids by associated odor. Also known as accelerant detector canine or arson dog.
Any combustible or flammable liquid.
Ignitible liquid detection canines (IGL canines) are dogs specifically trained to locate and respond to the presence of certain classes of ignitible liquids by associated odor.
The process of initiating self-sustained combustion.
The quantity of heat energy that should be absorbed by a substance to ignite and burn.
Minimum temperature a substance should attain in order to ignite under specific test conditions.
The time between the application of an ignition source to a material and the onset of self-sustained combustion.
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.
Substances used non-medically that are prohibited by law, including but not limited to stimulants, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, other opioids, and MDMA.