OSAC Standards Bulletin

The OSAC Registry is a repository of selected published and proposed standards for forensic science. These written documents contain minimum requirements, best practices, standard protocols, terminology, or other information to promote valid, reliable, and reproducible forensic results. 

The standards on the OSAC Registry have undergone a technical and quality review process that actively encourages feedback from forensic science practitioners, research scientists, human factors experts, statisticians, legal experts and the public. 

10 New Standards Added to the OSAC Registry 

SDO Published Standards (added October 3, 2023):

• ANSI/ASB Standard 024, Standard for Training and Certification of Canine Detection of Humans: Location Check Using Pre‐scented Canines. 2021. 1st. Ed. 
• ANSI/ASB Standard 026, Standard for Training and Certification of Canine Detection of Humans: An Aged Trail Using Pre-scented Canines. 2021. 1st. Ed. 
• ANSI/ASB Standard 027, Standard for Training and Certification of Canine Detection of Humans: Patrol Canine Team. 2021. 1st. Ed. 
• ASB Technical Report 051, Scope of Work for a Footwear/Tire Examiner. 2020. 1st. Ed. Errata 1, 2022. 
• ANSI/ASB Standard 095, Standard for Minimum Qualifications and Training for a Footwear/Tire FSSP. 2020. 1st Ed. Errata 1, 2022. 
• ANSI/ASB Standard 096, Standard Method for the Examination and Documentation of Ammunition and Ammunition Components. 2022. 1st. Ed. 
• ANSI/ASTM E2225-23, Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Fabrics and Cordage.
• ANSI/ASTM E2227-23e1, Guide for Forensic Examination of Dyes in Textile Fibers by Thin-Layer Chromatography.
• ANSI/ASTM E2228-23a, Standard Guide for Microscopical Examination of Textile Fibers.
• ANSI/ASTM E3254-23, Standard Practice for Use of Color in the Visual Examination and Forensic Comparison of Soil Samples.

The following standard has been approved for a three year extension on the Registry (effective October 3, 2023):

• ANSI/ASTM E2329-17, Standard Practice for Identification of Seized Drugs.

The following standard has been removed from the OSAC Registry:

• OSAC 2020-S-0003, Guideline for Performing Alcohol Calculations in Forensic Toxicology
  • Note: The Forensic Toxicology Subcommittee requested the OSAC Proposed Standard be removed from the OSAC Registry due to the pending publication of ASB BPR 122.

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 November 6, 2023, on whether the following SDO published standard should be included on the Registry:

• ANSI/ASB Standard 145, Standard for Consultation During Friction Ridge Examination. 2023. 1st. Ed. Submit your comments here. 

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.”

• There are no OSAC Proposed Standards currently open for comment.

New Published Standards

The Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) recently published the following standards:

• 17-F-002-2.0,  SWGDE Best Practices for Computer Forensic Acquisitions 
• 23-A-001-1.0,  SWGDE Technical Notes on FFmpeg for Forensic Audio Examination 
• 22-F-002-1.0,  SWGDE Best Practices for Chromebook Acquisition and Analysis 

Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

On September 8, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 2 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB’s work on the following standard:

• BSR/ASB Standard 202-202x, Standard for Interactions Between Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities and Organ and Tissue Procurement Organizations and Eye Banks. This standard defines a framework for relationships and communication between medicolegal death investigation authorities and organ, eye, and tissue procurement organizations. This document does not specifically address donation in the context of a mass fatality event.
  • This standard is currently on the OSAC Registry as OSAC 2023-N-0004, Standard for Interactions Between Medical Examiner, Coroner and All Other Medicolegal Death Investigation Agencies and Organ and Tissue Procurement Organizations and Eye Banks.

On September 15, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 2 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB’s work on the following standard:

• BSR/ASB Standard 017-202x, Standard for Metrological Traceability in Forensic Toxicology (revision of ANSI/ASB Standard 017-2018). This standard will provide the minimum requirements for establishing metrological traceability in forensic toxicology including postmortem forensic toxicology, human performance toxicology, non-regulated employment drug testing, court-ordered toxicology, general forensic toxicology and calibration of breath alcohol measuring instruments.
  • This PIN is for a revision to the 2018 version ANSI/ASB Standard 017, Standard Practices for Measurement Traceability in Forensic Toxicology. 2018. 1st Ed., which is currently on the OSAC Registry. 

On September 29, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 2 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB’s work on the following standard:

• BSR/ASB Standard 200-202x, Canine Biomedical Detection of Disease in Forensic Public Health (new standard). This standard provides the requirements for safely obtaining and handling training materials, performing and documenting the training, and conducting certification of canine handlers and canines related to canine odor detection of disease. This document is specifically related to canine detection of medical microbial organisms and disease in the field of forensic public health. This document does not address service dogs involved in medical monitoring of an individual (e.g., diabetes or seizure alert).

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:

• 2 standards open for comment at ASB in friction ridge.
• 5 standards open for comment at FISWG. 
• 5 standards open for comment at SWGDE. 

Training 

• Cognitive Bias in Forensic Decisions: Understanding What It Is, Its Implications, and What Can Be Done About It. Cognitive bias can impact a variety of forensic decisions and is a topic that is considered when drafting standards. Learn more about cognitive bias, its implications, and what can be done about it in this AAFS webinar being held on October 26, 2023 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET. 
• CSAFE Short Course: Statistical Thinking for Forensic Practitioners. In this asynchronous short course, Dr. Hal Stern, CSAFE co-director and OSAC affiliate, introduces fundamental concepts from probability and statistics - motivated by forensic issues - followed by a detailed investigation of how they apply to assess forensic evidence’s probative value. 

Upcoming Events 

• Oct 10 – 12:  ANSI World Standards Week 2023 | Washington, D.C. 
• Oct 17 – 20: Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM) Training Conference | Dallas, TX
• Oct 23 – 27: Law Enforcement & Emergency Services Video Association International (LEVA) | Portland, ME 
• Oct 29 – Nov 3: Society of Forensic Toxicologist (SOFT) Annual Meeting | Denver, CO
• Nov 6 - 10: Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (NEAFS) Annual Meeting | Mystic, CT

Standards Resources and Training 

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. 

• 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. Standards factsheets are available for 115+ standards on the OSAC Registry. 
• Standards checklists are a tool that forensic science service providers can use to track progress towards implementation, identify gaps or barriers to implementation, or document objective evidence of implementation or compliance with a standard. Checklists are available for 110+ standards on the OSAC Registry. 
• Standards videos and webinars are available for free from AAFS Connect. Learn about the standards development process, standards development activities in various disciplines, and information about specific SDO published standards on the OSAC Registry.