Crime Scene Investigation & Reconstruction Subcommittee

The Crime Scene Investigation & Reconstruction Subcommittee supports development of standards and guidance for crime scene investigations.

Officers | Members | Standards | Other Work Products

Officers

Charles S. DeFrance, Subcommittee Chair, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Jeffery Tomberlin, Subcommittee Vice Chair, Texas A&M University

Jane Northup, Subcommittee Executive Secretary, Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory (Quality Task Group representative)

Members

Crime Scene Investigation & Reconstruction Affiliate List

Standards

On the OSAC Registry

• ANSI/ASB Standard 159, Standard for Scene Investigation and Reconstruction - Foundational Principles. 2024. 1st. Ed.  (added April 2, 2024) NOTE: This SDO published standard will replace OSAC 2021-N-0015 on the OSAC Registry.
• ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 160, Best Practice Recommendation for Initial Response at Scenes by Law Enforcement Officers. 2024. 1st. Ed. (added April 2, 2024) NOTE: This SDO published standard will replace OSAC 2021-N-0016 on the OSAC Registry.
• OSAC 2021-N-0018, Standard for On-Scene Collection and Preservation of Physical Evidence (added February 6, 2024 and will be sent to ASB for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2021-N-0019, Standard Practice for the Documentation and Processing of Shooting Scenes (added November 1, 2022 and sent to ASB for further development and publication). 
• OSAC 2022-N-0025, Standard for Scene Response: Initial Response by Scene Investigators (added October 4, 2022 and sent to ASB for further development and publication). 
• OSAC 2022-N-0035, Standard for On-Scene Collection and Preservation of Document Evidence (added January 5, 2023 and sent to ASB for further development and publication). 
• OSAC 2022-S-0036, Standard Method for the Chemical Testing of Suspected Projectile Impacts for Copper and Lead  (added April 2, 2024 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2023-N-0002, Standard for Scene Documentation Procedures (added January 3, 2024 and sent to ASB for further development and publication).

Published by a Standards Developing Organization  (SDO) & Eligible for the OSAC Registry

• ASTM E620-11(18) Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or Technical Experts.
• ASTM E1188-11(17) Standard Practice for Collection and Preservation of Information and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator.

At an SDO for Further Development & Publication

• OSAC 2021-N-0018, Standard for Scene Collection and Preservation of Physical Evidence (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
• OSAC 2021-N-0019, Standard Practice for the Documentation and Processing of Shooting Scenes (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry). 
• OSAC 2022-N-0025, Standard for Scene Response: Initial Response by Scene Investigators (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry). 
• OSAC 2022-N-0035, Standard for On-Scene Collection and Preservation of Document Evidence (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry). 
• OSAC 2023-N-0002, Standard for Scene Documentation Procedures (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry). 
• Standard Practice for Crime Scene Investigator Training, Continuing Education, Professional Development, Certification, and Accreditation.
• Standard Practice for Forensic Science Practitioner Training, Continuing Education, and Professional Development Programs (Annex to ASTM E2917). 

Under Development

• OSAC 2022-N-0039, Collecting and Preserving Entomological Evidence from a Terrestrial Environment. 
• OSAC 2022-S-0037, Standard for DNA-Based Taxonomic Identification in Forensic Entomology.
• OSAC 2023-N-0003, Standard for Diagramming Scenes. 
• OSAC 2023-N-0020, Standard for the On-Scene Collection and Preservation of Friction Ridge Impressions.
• Standard Practice for Crime Scene Reconstruction.
• Standard Practice for the Documentation and Processing of Animal Cruelty Scenes.
• Standard for the Examination of the Live Animals Suspected to be Impacted by Cruelty to Animals.
• Standard Guide for Quality Management in Crime Scene Investigation.
• Standard Practice for the Collection and Preservation of Biological Materials.
• Standard Method for Establishing a Bullet Path.
• Standard Practice for the Enhancement of Friction Ridge Impressions.
• Standard for the Collection and Preservation of Questioned Document Related Evidence.
• Standard for the Examination and Documentation of a Dog Suspected of Being Involved in Organized Fighting.

Other Work Products

• Trace Materials Crime Scene Investigation Guide. The Trace Materials Crime Scene Investigation Guide was developed by OSAC's Trace Materials Subcommittee. The guide assists crime scene teams and law enforcement officers by providing guidance on recognizing, collecting, packaging, and preserving suspected trace evidence. The guide provides detailed and illustrated chapters that each focus on a specific type of evidence.
• Trace Evidence Collection Mobile App. The Trace Evidence Collection App is a mobile app companion to the Trace Materials Crime Scene Investigation Guide. The mobile app enables the user to access, search, and reference the guide's contents at any time and in any location. With this information easily accessible, users can reference descriptions of different types of trace evidence, information about where trace evidence might be encountered in crime scenes, and instructions outlining the collection and packaging of trace evidence.  
  • These videos, demonstrating various evidence collection techniques, were produced by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) through the support of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Financial Assistance Award Number 70NANB21H098. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this video are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the NIST or the U.S. Department of Commerce. Any products and manufacturers discussed are presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by NIST or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Research & Development Needs

• See the research and development needs identified by the Crime Scene Investigation & Reconstruction subcommittee.

Webinars, Presentations & Training Videos

• OSAC Overview and CSI Subcommittee Update, 2020 Virtual Educational Conference of the Chesapeake Bay Division of the International Association for Identification (CBDIAI), September 24, 2020.
• OSAC Overview and CSI Subcommittee Update, New England Division of the International Association for Identification (IAI) Meeting, December 4, 2019.
• OSAC CSI Subcommittee and Interdisciplinary Standards Update, IAI Conference, August 2019.
• OSAC CSI Subcommittee Update, Texas Division of the IAI, June 13, 2019.
• NIST OSAC CSI Subcommittee Update, Colorado Forensic Investigators Group (COFIG), March 27, 2019.
• NIST OSAC CSI Subcommittee Update, IAI Conference, August 2018.
• NIST OSAC CSI Subcommittee Overview & Update, International Crime Scene Investigators Association's 2018 CSI Conference, May 16, 2018.