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.
Chipping or pitting of concrete or masonry surfaces.
A moving particle of solid material that emits radiant energy due either to its temperature or the process of combustion on its surface.
The locations of defects (or damage/breakage) in relation to each other throughout the skeleton.
A vocalizing human, whether or not the vocalizations contain speech. An interlocutormight be a synthesized voice, which can be considered a speaker within the contextof this standard.
The fundamental unit of taxonomic classification. There is no singular species definition in biology. Essentially the term denotes a group of organisms with a unique shared evolutionary lineage.
Level of taxonomic classification between subspecies and genus.
The fundamental unit of taxonomic classification. There is no singular species definition in biology. Essentially the term denotes a group of organisms with a unique shared evolutionary lineage.
The fundamental unit of taxonomic classification. There is no singular species definition in biology. Essentially the term denotes a group of organisms with a unique shared evolutionary lineage.
The fundamental unit of taxonomic classification. There is no singular species definition in biology. Essentially the term denotes a group of organisms with a unique shared evolutionary lineage.
A reference to studies generally performed during developmental validation of forensic testing assays to assess if non-targeted species are detected in an assay (e.g., detection of microbial DNA in a human assay). The detection of non-targeted species does not necessarily invalidate the use of the assay, but may help define the limitations of the assay.
A reference to studies generally performed during developmental validation of forensic testing assays to assess if non-targeted species are detected in an assay (e.g., detection of microbial DNA in a human assay). The detection of non-targeted species does not necessarily invalidate the use of the assay, but may help define the limitations of the assay.
The ratio of the average molecular weight of a gas or vapor to the average molecular weight of air, or the ratio of the density of a gas to the density of dry air at standard temperature and pressure.
The ratio of the mass of a given volume of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water at a temperature of 4C.
Ability of a method to distinguish between the targeted analyte and other non-targeted substances.
Measures the proportion of actual negatives that are correctly identified as such.
Experiments performed to evaluate the ability of the system to provide reliable results for targeted analytes in the presence of cross-reactive substances.
Studies performed to assess the ability of the probabilistic genotyping system to support the absence of true non-contributors. A true non-contributor is an individual who is known not to contribute
In general, studies designed to determine the ability of a procedure to discriminate between two or more substances.
A stated need or expectation. Specified requirements may be stated in normative documents such as regulations, standards and technical specifications.
A matrix sample collected from a specific origin for toxicological analysis. Examples include femoral or cardiac blood; left versus right eye vitreous fluid; and liver, brain, or kidney.
An examination of the contribution of overlap in the emission spectrum of fluorescent dyes used for a specific DNA test on a capillary electrophoresis instrument; permits the color deconvolution necessary for multi-color STR typing or sequencing to be performed; a poor spectral calibration may cause artifact peaks or inaccurate peak height determinations.
measure of the ability to distinguish between adjacent peaks in a spectrum; it is usually determined by measuring peak width at half the maximum value of the peak height or full-width half-maximum (FWHM).
Discussion—Spectral resolution is not to be confused with spatial resolution (the smallest features that can be resolved in the field of view of the MSP camera or eyepieces or can be used to refer to the smallest spectral sampling area of the MSP).
measure of the ability to distinguish between adjacent peaks in a spectrum; it is usually determined by measuring peak width at half the maximum value of the peak height or full-width half-maximum (FWHM). Discussion—This value is usually quoted for the FWHM of Mn KŒ±.
Audible vocalizations made with the intent of communicating information throughlinguistic content. Nonsensical vocalizations with linguistic content will be consideredas speech (including singing and chanting). Speech can be made by humans, bymachine synthesizers, or by other means.
Sphere audio data format. Information is available atftp://jaguar.ncsl.nist.gov/pub/sphere_2.6a.tar.Z
A training exercise in which two subjects walk the same pathway and then split into two different directions. When the canine is presented with a scent article from one of the subjects, the canine commences to trail and associate the correct person to the scent article. Despite the contamination of scent from the other person on the trail the canine is still able to discriminate between scents and identify the correct subject
A training exercise in which two subjects walk the same pathway and then split into two different directions. When the canine is presented with a scent article from one of the subjects, the canine commences to trail and associate the correct person to the scent article. Despite the contamination of scent from the other person on the trail the canine is still able to discriminate between scents and identify the correct subject.
A training exercise in which two subjects walk the same pathway and then split into two different directions. When the canine is presented with a scent article from one of the subjects, the canine commences to trail and associate the correct person to the scent article. Despite the contamination of scent from the other person on the trail the canine is still able to discriminate between scents and identify the correct subject
Loss, destruction, or material alteration of an object or document that is evidence or potential evidence in a legal proceeding by one who has the responsibility for its preservation.
Initiation of combustion of a material by an internal chemical or biological reaction that has produced sufficient heat to ignite the material.
The tendency of a behavior in a canine to reappear after it has undergone extinction.
analyte’s resistance to chemical change in a matrix under specific conditions for given time intervals
An analytes resistance to chemical change in a matrix under specific conditions for given time intervals
A location separate from the search site designated for canine handlers to wait until they are called to search.