Forensic Science Laboratories: Handbook for Facility Planning, Design, Construction, and Relocation.

Published

June 25, 2013

Author(s)

James Aguilar, Tom Barnes, Joseph Browne, Yvette Burney, John Byrd, Bonnie Carver, Adam Denmark, Susan Halla, Lou Hartman, Alison Kennedy, Deborah Leben, Greg Matheson, Jim McClaren, Russell McElroy, Romeo Miranda, Kenneth Mohr, Michael Mount, Steve Sigel, Jennifer Smither, Melissa Taylor, Aliece Watts, Shannan Williams

Abstract

This handbook is a resource for laboratory directors, designers, consultants, and other stakeholders involved in the construction or major renovation of forensic science laboratories. Laboratory construction and renovation projects must meet the unique needs and requirements of the regional law enforcement and criminal justice community it serves. This document will guide forensic laboratory facility planners on how to meet these requirements by applying principles, processes, tools, and resources that are applicable across a broad range of facility types. This document strives to highlight basic facility life cycle processes as well as those specific requirements that are unique to forensic science laboratories.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 7941

Report Number

7941

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7941

Local Download

Keywords

forensic science laboratory, laboratory construction, laboratory design, laboratory planning, laboratory relocation

Citation

Aguilar, J. , Barnes, T. , Browne, J. , Burney, Y. , Byrd, J. , Carver, B. , Denmark, A. , Halla, S. , Hartman, L. , Kennedy, A. , Leben, D. , Matheson, G. , McClaren, J. , McElroy, R. , Miranda, R. , Mohr, K. , Mount, M. , Sigel, S. , Smither, J. , Taylor, M. , Watts, A. and Williams, S. (2013), Forensic Science Laboratories: Handbook for Facility Planning, Design, Construction, and Relocation., NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7941, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=913987 (Accessed October 10, 2025)