Standards Open for Comment

Published Standards Open for OSAC Registry Comment

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. 

• There are no published standards currently open for comment for OSAC Registry approval.  

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 Open for Comment

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. 

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

Standards Open for Comment at SDOs

Academy Standards Board (ASB)

ASB is currently soliciting public comments on the following forensic science standards. To provide comments, download the comment template and return it to asb [at] aafs.org (asb[at]aafs[dot]org) by the deadline.    

Biology/DNA

• Recirculation* - ASB Standard 091, Standard for Training in Analysis of Forensic Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA Data, 202x, 1st Ed. Comment deadline January 15, 2024.
• Recirculation* - ASB Standard 175, Standard for Interpreting, Comparing and Reporting DNA Test Results Associated with Failed Controls and Contamination Events. 202x, 1st Ed. Comment deadline January 15, 2024.

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

• ASB Standard 184, Standard for a Mentorship Program in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, 202x, 1st Ed. Comment deadline January 15, 2024.

Forensic Toxicology

• ASB Standard 017, Standard for Metrological Traceability in Forensic Toxicology. 202x. 2nd Ed. (revision of ANSI/ASB 017-2018). Comment deadline December 11, 2023.
• Recirculation* - ASB Best Practice Recommendation 122, Best Practice Recommendation for Performing Alcohol Calculations in Forensic Toxicology. 202x. 1st Ed. Comment deadline December 11, 2023.

Friction Ridge

• Addendum to ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 144, Best Practice Recommendations for the Verification Component in Friction Ridge Examination, 2023. 1st Ed. Comment deadline January 1, 2024.

Medicolegal Death Investigation

• Recirculation* - ASB Technical Report 151, Medicolegal Death Investigation: Terms and Definitions. 202x. 1st Ed. Comment deadline January 1, 2024.
  • NOTE: This is OSAC 2022-N-0026, currently on the OSAC Registry, and is being further developed at ASB. 

*Comments on a re-circulation will only be accepted on revised sections of a document, comments made to text not revised from the previous public comment period will not be accepted. 

Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE)

 SWGDE is currently soliciting public comments on the following draft documents for a minimum period of 60 days. To provide comments, complete the Electron Request for Modifications form by December 23, 2023.  

• 12-F-004-3.1 SWGDE Best Practices for Vehicle Infotainment and Telematics Systems (2023-10-13)
• 16-F-002-2.0 SWGDE Considerations for Required Minimization of DE Seizure (2023-10-13)
• 20-F-003-1.2 SWGDE Test Method for Bluetooth Module Extraction and Analysis (2023-10-13)
• 21-F-001-1.1 SWGDE Best Practices for Acquiring Online Content (2023-10-13)
• 21-F-002-1.1 SWGDE Best Practices for Drone Forensics (2023-10-13)
• 23-F-003-1.0 SWGDE Best Practices for Internet of Things Seizure and Analysis (2023-10-13)
• 23-F-005-1.0 SWGDE Best Practices for Apple MacOS Forensic Acquisition (2023-10-13)
• 23-F-006-1.0 SWGDE Tech Notes on Cryptocurrency (2023-10-13)
• 23-F-007-1.0 SWGDE Core Competencies for Digital Forensics (2023-10-13)
• 10-Q-002-3.0 SWGDE Guidelines & Recommendations for Training in Digital Multimedia Evidence (2023-10-13)
• 18-Q-001-2.0 SWGDE Minimum Requirements for Testing Tools Used in Digital and Multimedia Forensics (2023-10-13)
• 23-Q-001-1.0 SWGDE Best Practices for Personnel Presenting Digital Evidence in Legal Proceedings (2023-10-13)
• 16-V-002-3.0 SWGDE Technical Notes on FFmpeg for Forensic Video Examination (2023-10-13)
• 18-V-001-1.1 SWGDE Best Practices for Digital Forensic Video Analysis (2023-10-13)