OSAC Lexicon

The middle segment of the finger. The thumb does not have a medial segment.

Appointed forensic pathologist whose duty is to oversee medicolegal death investigations, perform postmortem examinations, and certify cause and manner of death. In some jurisdictions, individuals with other qualifications hold the title “Medical Examiner,” but for purposes of this document those individuals are considered medicolegal death investigators.

Formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a human being; investigative information is considered with autopsy findings and adjunctive studies (if performed) to determine the cause and manner of death.

Person or persons whose duty it is to perform medicolegal death investigations for a designated jurisdiction and ensure certification of cause and manner of death; duties vary based on local enabling statutes.

Physical location of an agency (usually a medical examiner or coroner office) with the authority to perform medicolegal death investigations.

The statutorily established infrastructure (e.g., county coroner or state medical examiner) that exists to conduct medicolegal death investigations within a defined geographic area.

Individual who performs medicolegal death investigations and includes those who have not completed the requirements for certification and is not certified.

Relevant to the medicolegal death investigation system; anthropologically, this term typically refers to human skeletal material of recent origin.

Relevant to the medicolegal death investigation system; anthropologically, this term typically refers to human skeletal material of recent origin.

Substance(s) used to create an image or text.

person or organization that is involved in the development, revision or approval of the rules and procedures (5.2) of a conformity assessment system (4.8) or scheme (4.9)

A reference to the basic principles that govern the transmission of genetic traits from parents to offspring discovered by Gregor Mendel in the late 19th century.

The level of awareness and response to the environment.

Documentation relevant to the biometric data, but not the biometric data itself.Metadata may include both signal/sample-related and content-related information.Examples are the format of the data file, such as WAV and the scope of accreditation ofa DNA processing laboratory.

Information stored inside an electronic document or image that provides information which may include authorship, editing details, and the computer on which the document was created or modified.

Specimens differing in spectral reflectance but having colors that match in light of one spectral composition, when viewed by one observer, but may not match in light of other spectral compositions, or when viewed by another observer. (ASTM E284)

A combination of procedural steps used to perform a specific technical process. The method includes the validated steps, reagents, and critical instruments needed to perform the process or portion of a process. The same method may be conducted using different equipment (automated vs manual) when appropriately validated.1

process by which analytical parameters are established for a non-standard test method, laboratorydeveloped test method, or standard test method used outside its intended scope (or otherwise modified) that considers sample preparation, instrumental conditions, interpretation of observations, data or calculations, and metrological traceability

quantitative procedure by which known concentrations of target analyte are added to multiple aliquots of the case sample(s)

process of performing a set of experiments to establish objective evidence that a non-standard test method, laboratory-developed test method, or standard test method used outside its intended scope (or otherwise modified) is fit for purpose and to identify limitations under normal operating conditions

process by which a laboratory establishes objective evidence of its ability to use a non-standard test method, laboratory-developed test method, or standard test method within its intended scope to achieve the method’s defined performance specifications

Methodology refers to the categories of methods used to perform a stage of a DNA typing technology or technologies. For example, methodologies for STR technology can include extraction, quantification, amplification, and detection.

An estimate based on measurement of skeletal elements.

property of a measurement result whereby the result can be related to a reference through a documented unbroken chain of calibrations, each contributing to the measurement uncertainty

Property of a measurement result whereby the result can be related to a reference through a documented unbroken chain of calibrations, each contributing to the measurement uncertainty

property of a measurement result whereby the result can be related to a reference through a documented unbroken chain of comparisons, each contributing to the measurement uncertainty (see 2.4.1 of International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM) Basic and General Concepts and Associated Terms [10]).

Military Grid Reference System

An implant that is placed under the skin of an animal that provides a unique electronic identification.

Minute (of time)