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Special Programs Office (SPO)

News and Updates

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NIST Adds New 'Fingerprints' to Chemical Identification Database

June 17, 2020

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its database of chemical fingerprints, called mass spectra, that are used to identify

Two New Forensic DNA Standards Added to the OSAC Registry

May 12, 2020

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has placed two new standards covering the interpretation of DNA evidence on its

OSAC's Friction Ridge Subcommittee Develops Friction Ridge Process Map

December 10, 2019

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science’s Friction Ridge Subcommittee has developed a friction ridge examination process map

Bullet fragment is illuminated under microscope lens.

Kennedy Assassination Bullets Preserved in Digital Form

December 5, 2019

In the palm of his hand, Thomas Brian Renegar held two small metal objects that had changed the course of history. Twisted pieces of copper and lead, they were

Interdisciplinary Training Standard Added to the OSAC Registry

December 2, 2019

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has added the first interdisciplinary training standard to its registry of approved

Dozens of cars waiting in a queue in front of a building with large letters reading, "U.S. Border Inspection Station."

Stopping Fentanyl at the Border: Can Chemical Detectors Help?

November 21, 2019

Large quantities of the synthetic drug fentanyl flow into the country at ports of entry along the Southwest border, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. As

NIST Announces Plans for OSAC 2.0

September 17, 2019

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Today, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science

OSAC Adds Two Disaster Victim Identification Standards to the Registry

September 6, 2019

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) i s excited to announce two Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) documents have been

OSAC Standards Bulletin, September 2019

September 5, 2019

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and those

OSAC Adds Two New Standards to Registry and Opens Comment Period on Two Disaster Victim Identification Standards

June 18, 2019

Two New Standards Placed on OSAC Registry The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) is excited to announce the Forensic Science

OSAC Standards Bulletin, June 2019

June 4, 2019

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

OSAC Standards Bulletin, April 2019

April 10, 2019

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

OSAC Standards Bulletin, February 2019

February 14, 2019

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

OSAC Standards Bulletin, December 2018

December 20, 2018

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

yellow crime scene tape with the words CRIME SCENE DO NOT ENTER

Houston Forensic Science Center to Voluntarily Adopt OSAC Standards

December 18, 2018

One of the nation’s leading crime laboratories, the Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC), has announced that it will voluntarily adopt standards approved by

OSAC Standards Bulletin, November 2018 Published

November 15, 2018

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

OSAC Standards Bulletin, October 2018 Published

October 11, 2018

This Bulletinprovides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

NIST details plans for reviewing the scientific foundations of forensic methods

September 24, 2018

NIST has published Draft NISTIR 8225, Scientific Foundation Reviews. This publication describes NIST’s approach to conducting scientific foundation reviews

OSAC Annual Report 2018

August 29, 2018

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has released its 2018 Annual Report. OSAC continues to make steady progress toward

Three New Standards Approved for OSAC Registry

June 26, 2018

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) has approved three new standards for inclusion on the OSAC Registry. This registry

OSAC Releases Draft Implementation Plan and Draft Human Factors Technical Publication for Comment

May 21, 2018

DRAFT Guidance on Testing the Performance of Forensic Examiners The Human Factors Committee (HFC) of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for

In this illustration, a gas well field has a circle on it. A dual-comb spectrometer at the center sends out laser light which bounces off mirrors, goes through a gas cloud and returns to the spectrometer for analysis.

Mobile ‘Dual-Comb’ Device Significantly Improves Methane Leak Detection

March 22, 2018

Accurately detecting, locating and quantifying leaks of methane, the main component of natural gas and a major fuel source worldwide, is critically important

OSAC Releases an Online Lexicon for the Forensic Sciences

March 13, 2018

The forensic sciences encompass dozens of disciplines, each with its own history and vocabulary. As a result, a word might mean one thing to forensic

A graph with vertical lines showing the mass spectrum of fentanyl

Free Software Can Help Spot New Forms of Fentanyl and Other Illegal Drugs

March 7, 2018

Fentanyl, the synthetic drug that is driving a nationwide overdose epidemic, is not only a killer. It’s also a shape shifter. Illicit chemists are constantly

Graphic explaining the CMC method for comparing ballistic surfaces

How Good a Match is It? Putting Statistics into Forensic Firearms Identification

February 8, 2018

On February 14, 1929, gunmen working for Al Capone disguised themselves as police officers, entered the warehouse of a competing gang, and shot seven of their

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