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.
The essential skills one must have in order to perform a specific task.
Remnants of a target substance that can be recovered and identified.
Odor/scent that originated from any substance/subject that may or may not be physically recoverable or detectable by other means. The odor/scent that originated from a target substance/subject and lingers after the target substance/subject has been removed or has totally decomposed (as in the case of human remains).
Scent that originated from any subject that may or may not be physically recoverable or detectable by other means. The scent that originated from a target subject and lingers after the target subject has been removed or has totally decomposed (as in the case of human remains).
Scent that originated from any subject that may or may not be physically recoverable or detectable by other means. The scent that originated from a target subject and lingers after the target subject has been removed or has totally decomposed (as in the case of human remains).
Scent that originated from any subject that may or may not be physically recoverable or detectable by other means. The scent that originated from a target subject and lingers after the target subject has been removed or has totally decomposed (as in the case of human remains).
Related to breathing and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Related to breathing and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
A behavior that a canine has been trained to exhibit upon locating the source of a target odor/scent. This behavior may be either passive (sit, stare, down, point) or active (bite, bark, scratch, jump, etc.).
A behavior that a canine has been trained to exhibit upon locating the source of a target odor/scent. This behavior may be either passive (sit, stare, down, point) or active (bite, bark, scratch, jump, etc.). (See indication.)
The accountability of a person or other entity for the event or sequence of events that caused the fire or explosion, spread of the fire, bodily injuries, loss of life, or property damage.
The product of the forensic service provider. This term is broad and includes observations, data, calculations, interpretations, and opinions.
Behaviors associated with finding and returning prey or objects back to the canine handler or social group.
Behaviors associated with finding and returning prey or objects back to the canine handler or social group.
The innate impulse to find and bring prey.
The subconscious impulse to find and bring prey to the pack leader.
A fully corrected version of the original Cambridge Reference Sequence (GenBank# J01415 0 gi:337188) of Anderson et al. (1981) of the human mitochondrial genome (mtDNA), also referred to as the Anderson sequence. The rCRS is GenBank sequence NC_012920; it differs from the original CRS and other complete mtDNA GenBank sequences in that it has eighteen corrected or confirmed nucleotides. It is used for reporting human mtDNA sequences, generally by denoting the differences observed from the rCRS.
The presentation of a desired or preferred article, toy, food, or praise given to the canine once the detector canine has alerted and responded to the odor(s)/scent(s) for which the canine is trained to detect/locate.
The presentation of an article, toy, food, or praise given to the canine once the detector canine has alerted and responded to the odor(s)/scent(s) for which the canine is trained to detect/locate.
Red, Green, Blue used to represent color pixels comprised of a specified number of bitsto represent each of these primary color components.
A raised portion of the epidermis on the palmar or plantar skin, consisting of one or moreconnected ridge units of friction ridge skin.
A section of a ridge that connects two minutiae; a single non-intersecting portion of askeletonized image.
See skeletonized image.
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format which can be used to store audio data.
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format that issometimes used in audio and video recordings. The most common implementation ofRIFF is WAV, which uses the file extension '.wav'
An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a negative effect on a softwares reliability and performance.
The degree of peril; the possible harm that might occur that is represented by the statistical probability or quantitative estimate of the frequency or severity of injury or loss.
A systematic process for deciding the risk level associated with a particular software or module.
Experiments performed to measure the capability of a procedure to remain unaffected by small but deliberate variations in method parameters and provide an indication of reliability during normal usage.
Region of interest.
The linear distance traveled by a tire in one revolution under load.
A fingerprint image collected by rolling the finger across a livescan platen or paperfingerprint card from nail to nail. Rolls may be from livescan devices or scanned frompaper fingerprint cards.
A commercial product, which is a seven-mil Estar film base material designed to wet rollers andpick up loose particles on all types of roller transport photo-processing machines used along withfingerprint powder to produce known impressions of footwear and tires.
See flameover.
Canine training conducted with regularity that maintains the canine's operational capabilities.
Canine training conducted with regularity that maintains the canine's operational capabilities.
set of samples contemporaneously analyzed (unbroken sequence) as part of an experiment or calibration
A document providing comprehensive information about a substance or mixture for using in workplace chemical management as adopted by the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). NOTE Previously known as a material safety data sheet (MSDS).
A document providing comprehensive information about a substance or mixture for using in workplace chemical management as adopted by the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Note: Previously known as a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
An action by the handler, canine or canine team that if done in operational environment, could place the canine team in jeopardy.
Obtain the values of a function for regularly or irregularly spaced distinct values fromits domain. From: ISO 2382-2:1976.
a sample for which the identity of the donor is established and which is used for comparison purposes.
a sample of known hairs that is insufficient in quality or quantity to reflect a representative range of characteristics or traits.