OSAC Lexicon

The record of procedures, standards, controls, and instruments used, observations made, results of tests conducted, charts, graphs, images, audio, video, and other documentation generated during the examiner’s analysis. This also includes any resulting findings, opinions, and conclusions.

A type of file (electronic or hard copy) in which all documentation and case relevant information is kept and maintained.

A type of file (electronic or hard copy) in which all documentation and case relevant information is kept and maintained.

The documentation of procedures, controls, and instruments used; observations made; results of tests performed; and charts, graphs, photographs, bench or other handwritten notes, and other documentation generated that are used to support the analyst’s conclusions. May also be referred to as “test record.”

Data exhibiting features that are representative of a plausible range of casework conditions for mixtures and single-source samples. These features include masked/shared alleles and stutter, degradation (including different degradation levels for different contributors to a mixture), allele and locus drop-out, and PCR inhibition

Samples from known individuals with known testing results prepared within the laboratory to simulate a range of samples typically encountered by the testing laboratory in casework. The use of a range of test samples in validation studies facilitates the development of protocols for casework.

Samples from known individuals with known testing results prepared within the laboratory to simulate a range of samples typically encountered by the testing laboratory in casework. The use of a range of test samples in validation studies facilitates the development of protocols for casework.

Biological material obtained from a known individual and collected for purposes of comparison to unknown samples.

Biological material of unknown origin recovered from the crime scene or believed to have originated from an individual of interest that may be associated to a crime.

A method of preserving and recovering three-dimensional impressions utilizing a casting material that replicates the impression’s features.

(1) A description of the canine's movement as the canine searches for and/or follows the concentration of target odor/scent. (2) A directional command to the canine.

Partial or complete clouding of the lens on the eye that leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts can be genetic or acquired.

opinion that, in the examiner’s judgement, one proposition or explanation is true and it would be impossible to obtain the observations if any of the alternative propositions or explanations considered were true

EXAMPLE  1:In the examiner’s judgement, the shoe did not make the questioned shoemark.

EXAMPLE  2:In the examiner’s judgement, the cartridge case is of Smith and Wesson brand.
 

The circumstances, conditions, or agencies that brought about or resulted in the fire or explosion incident, damage to property, bodily injury, or loss of life.

Medical opinion of the disease or injury that resulted in a person’s death.

A medical opinion stating which disease, injury, or physiological derangement was responsible for initiating the lethal sequence of events that resulted in an animal’s death.

Common Biometric Exchange Formats Framework. It provides a set of definitions usedto exchange biometric data in a standardized manner. It forms the basis for Type-99records.

Committee to Define an Extended Fingerprint Feature Set.

A relatively thin layer of flowing hot gases that develops under a horizontal surface (e.g., ceiling) as a result of plume impingement and the flowing gas being forced to move horizontally.

A buoyant layer of hot gases and smoke produced by a fire in a compartment.

Document issued under the rules of a certification system, indicating that adequate confidence is provided that a product, process, or service conforms with a specific standard or other normative document.

Procedure by which an accredited third party gives written assurance that a person, product, process, or service conforms to specific requirements. ISO/IEC Guide 2:2016 [mod]

Certification is the recognition that a canine-handler team has acquired and demonstrated specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities in the standard practices necessary to execute the duties of a canine team. Certification also provides the fire investigator a means of identifying those canine-handler teams that have successfully demonstrated compliance with established requirements. In addition, certification establishes that a canine-handler team achieves and maintains proficiency.

Procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a person, product, process, or service conforms to specific requirements.

A process that attests to the successful completion of an examination of relevant skills for the canine team.

An element of the canine team odor/scent recognition or operational assessment.

A record of the certification achieved by a competent canine team, maintained separately from other records, i.e., training, assessments or discipline-related deployment records. A record documenting the performance of the canine team, especially an account of an act or occurrence kept in writing or some other permanent form, i.e. digital format, which is discoverable.

The rules, procedures and management for implementing person, product, process, and service certification.

Medicolegal death investigator who has completed the requirements for Certification (Registry or Board) by an accredited credentialing body; currently American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.

Reference material characterized by a metrologically valid procedure for one or more specified properties, accompanied by a certificate that provides the value of the specified property, its associated uncertainty, and a statement of metrological traceability

reference material characterized by a metrologically valid procedure for one or more specified properties, accompanied by a certificate that provides the value of the specified property, its associated uncertainty, and a statement of metrological traceability

Reference material, accompanied by documentation issued by an authoritative body and providing one or more specified property values with associated uncertainties and traceabilities, using valid procedures. (JCGM 200:2012)

The organization authorizing the certification of a canine team.

chronological record of the transfer, handling, and storage of an item from its point of collection to its final return or disposal

chronological record (3.49) of the transfer, handling and storage of an item (3.33) from its point of collection to its final return or disposal

Numbers in the parenthesis refers to additional terms in the standard.

Also referenced in ANSI/ASB 019, Wildlife Forensics General Standards and ANSI/ASB Technical Report 025, Crime Scene/Death Investigation - Dogs and Sensors - Terms and Definitions, ANSI/ASB Standard 170, Standard for Veterinary Forensic Postmortem Examination, ANSI/ASB Standard 169 Standard for Clinical Veterinary Forensic Examination.

ANSI/ASTM E1732 Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science.