OSAC Standards Bulletin

The OSAC Registry is a repository of high-quality, technically sound published and proposed standards for forensic science. These written documents define minimum requirements, best practices, standard protocols, and other guidance to help ensure that the results of forensic analyses are reliable and reproducible.

All the standards on the OSAC Registry have passed a rigorous technical and quality review by OSAC members, including forensic science practitioners, research scientists, statisticians, and human factors and legal experts. 

Two New Standards Added to the OSAC Registry

SDO Published Standards (added August 2, 2022):

• ANSI/ASB 062, Standard for Topography Comparison Software for Toolmark Analysis, First Edition, 2021.
• ANSI/ASB 063, Implementation of 3D Technologies in Forensic Firearm and Toolmark Comparison Laboratories, First Edition, 2021.

Standards Open for Comment for OSAC Registry Approval

SDO Published Standards

The OSAC Registry approval process for published standards is used to review existing SDO published standards for technical quality and placement on the Registry. Please submit your comments by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 5, 2022, on whether the following SDO published standards should be included on the Registry:

• ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 052, Best Practice Recommendation for the Detection and Collection of Footwear and Tire Impressions, First Edition, 2022. Submit your comments here.
• ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 060, Guidelines for Barrel and Overall Length Measurements of Firearms, First Edition, 2021. Submit your comments here. 
• ANSI/ASB Standard 096, Standard Method for the Examination and Documentation of Ammunition and Ammunition Components, First Edition, 2022. Submit your comments here.
• ANSI/ASB Standard 105, Minimum Education Requirements for Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Trainees, First Edition, 2021. Submit your comments here.
• ASTM E3294-22, Standard Guide for Forensic Analysis of Geological Materials by Powder X-Ray Diffraction. Submit your comments here. 

NOTE: IN JANUARY 2022, OSAC’S FORENSIC SCIENCE STANDARDS BOARD (FSSB) APPROVED THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR AN OSAC-MANAGED COMMENT PERIOD FOR REGISTRY APPROVAL OF SDO PUBLISHED STANDARDS CAN BE MET DURING THE SDO’S PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON A STANDARD DURING ITS DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE SDO’S PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THIS CHANGE ALLOWS COMMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED DURING THE SDO DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, PRIOR TO PUBLICATION, ENABLING UPGRADES TO BE DIRECTLY INCORPORATED INTO THE STANDARD RATHER THAN RECEIVING THE COMMENTS AFTER THE STANDARD IS PUBLISHED. IN CASES WHERE OSAC CAN DOCUMENT THE SDO’S PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, OSAC WILL NOT EXECUTE A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD DURING ITS REGISTRY APPROVAL PROCESS. SEE THE SDO UPDATES BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON THE STANDARDS CURRENTLY OPEN FOR COMMENT AT SDOS.

OSAC Proposed Standards

The OSAC Registry approval process for OSAC Proposed Standards is used to review OSAC drafted standards for technical quality and placement on the Registry. The following draft OSAC Proposed Standards are being considered for submission to an SDO. The final draft provided to the SDO will be available on the OSAC Registry as an “OSAC Proposed Standard.”

OSAC welcomes comments on whether the current drafts are suitable for release to the SDO as well as suggestions for improvements in content and wording. To be considered, comments must be placed in the OSAC Comment Form and sent to comments [at] nist.gov (comments[at]nist[dot]gov) by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 5, 2022.

• OSAC 2022-S-0014, Building an Analytical Scheme for the Assessment of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Suspected Marijuana Plant Material Samples.
• OSAC 2022-S-0034, Standard for the Expression of Conclusions in Forensic Document Examination.  

Standards Open for Comment at SDOs

Stakeholders from the forensic science community are encouraged to provide input on standards as they are being developed at SDOs. For SDO published standards going through the OSAC Registry approval process, the public will have an opportunity to comment on a standard during the SDO’s public comment period but will not be given a second opportunity to comment through OSAC on whether the resulting standard should be placed on the Registry. 

Visit OSAC’s Standards Open for Comment webpage to see the full list of forensic science standards open for comment at SDOs and how to submit your feedback. This page consolidates and tracks comment deadlines for you and will be updated on a weekly basis. It currently includes:

• Six standards  open for comment at ASB in firearms & toolmarks (2), forensic anthropology (2), and forensic toxicology (2).

Apply to Join OSAC!

The success of OSAC’s efforts to facilitate the development of technically sound forensic science standards and promote the adoption of those standards by the forensic science community depend on your participation. OSAC is currently seeking to fill member vacancies on its committees and subcommittees due to a number of membership terms that will be expiring this September.   

If you are one of the over 500 current members and are interested in seeking a second term, you will be considered for the vacancy. If you have previously applied, you do not have to submit a new application unless your contact information or other responses have changed since your original submission. 
 
If you are interested in joining OSAC, please complete and submit an application form in order to be eligible and considered for the positions opening in October.  

Please contact OSAC Project Manager, Donna Sirk (donna.sirk [at] nist.gov (donna[dot]sirk[at]nist[dot]gov)) for more information.

OSAC Public Update Meeting

Join us for the upcoming OSAC Public Update Meeting taking place on September 13, 2022. This virtual event will feature presentations from the chairs of OSAC’s seven Scientific Area Committees and the Forensic Science Standards Board. Each presenter will describe their unit’s activities, including the standards they are working on, challenges being addressed, and priorities for the upcoming year. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions and share feedback. Learn more and register.

Call for Nominations for Sharon B. Nakich Award

OSAC is seeking nominations for the 2022 Sharon B. Nakich Award. In honor of our colleague, Sharon Nakich, this OSAC peer-to-peer award acknowledges a helpful attitude, kindness, teamwork, or behind-the-scenes contributions to support the goals of OSAC. It recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to promote OSAC’s mission through their support of OSAC. This nominee works diligently and tirelessly as a champion for OSAC, at times without recognition. 

Eligibility:

• All OSAC members and affiliates.
• Any non-OSAC member who has contributed significantly to furthering the mission of OSAC.

To submit your nomination, please provide two or more narrative statements from two or more different individuals addressing the criteria mentioned above. Nomination justifications should include, but are not limited to, a description of:

• Specific activities the nominee was involved in that had a positive effect in supporting OSAC’s mission.
• How the individual’s action helped the organization further its goals.
• Describe the nominee’s willingness to go the extra mile.

Please send your nomination and supporting documentation to allison.getz [at] nist.gov (allison[dot]getz[at]nist[dot]gov) by Friday, September 2, 2022.

106th IAI Educational Conference

OSAC’s VITAL, Friction Ridge, Facial Identification, and Footwear & Tire Subcommittees will be presenting updates at the International Association for Identification (IAI) Educational Conference happening July 31 – August 6 in Omaha, Nebraska. For more information about these and other standards-related presentations occurring throughout the week, view the IAI Conference agenda. 

Now Available: AAFS Standards Factsheets

As part of a cooperative agreement with NIST, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) is developing training, tools, and resources to enhance implementation efforts and broaden awareness of forensic science standards among communities of interest. 

One of these resources, AAFS Standards Factsheets, provide a clear, concise, and easy way to understand the purpose of a specific standard, why it is needed, and the benefits of adoption. There are currently 12 AAFS Factsheets available for standards listed on the OSAC Registry in the following forensic science disciplines: DNA, fire investigation, firearms & toolmarks, ignitable liquids and explosives, seized drugs, toxicology, and trace evidence. The factsheets, standards-related webinars, and future resources are available on the AAFS Standards Resources and Training site.