Trace Materials Subcommittee

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.
• Forensic Soil Evidence Collection Training Video. The former Geological Materials Subcommittee, in collaboration with the University of Kentucky, the FBI, and the IUGS-Initiative of Forensic Geology have developed a Forensic Soil Evidence Collection Training Video to accompany ASTM E3272-21, Standard Guide for the Collection of Soils and Other Geological Evidence for Forensic Applications (on the OSAC Registry). Learn more about this project by reading our news story.  

Interlaboratory Comparisons

• In the summer of 2020, the Trace Materials SC conducted an interlaboratory data collection exercise to evaluate the draft of its Standard Practice for Interpretation and Report Writing in Forensic Comparisons of Trace Materials, with the first round of the study focusing on forensic paint analysis. The document is currently under revision (OSAC 2022-S-0029) and the draft used for the interlaboratory study is here. 
  • The published results of the Interlaboratory Exercise on forensic paint analysis is available: Interpretation and report writing in forensic comparisons of paint evidence: An interlaboratory exercise.
  • A video is available that reviews the results of this interlaboratory exercise and provides information on:
    • the motivation for the study
    • the study design
    • the main findings: evaluation of the interlaboratory interpretation of simulated paint cases
    • participants' results and feedback
    • additional interlaboratory studies using the OSAC proposed standard

Reference Documents

• Development of the Term "Exclusionary Difference" and a More Uniform Use of Spectral Comparison Language
• Trace Materials Crime Scene Investigation Guide
• OSAC Materials Subcommittee's Response to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology's (PCAST) Request for Additional References

Research & Development Needs

• See the research and development needs identified by the Trace Materials Subcommittee.

Standards Development Maps

• Trace Materials Roadmap

Webinars, Presentations & Training Videos

• Interpretation and Report Writing in Forensic Comparisons of Paint Evidence: Results for an Interlaboratory Exercise (September 29, 2023).
• OSAC Trace Materials Subcommittee Update at the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) EPG Meeting (September 2018).

Discipline-Specific Bibliographies and Bibliographic References 

These documents may contain information to help forensic scientists, judges, lawyers, researchers, and other readers better understand the nature, scope, and foundations of the individual disciplines as currently practiced. The identification of these documents does not represent an endorsement by OSAC or NIST. Only standards that are posted on the OSAC Registry and Technical Guidance documents, are endorsed by OSAC. The referenced documents may be subject to copyright. Note: Subcommittee position statements or responses to data collections by the subcommittee do not necessarily represent the position of OSAC or NIST.

Materials (Trace):

• Trace Evidence Recovery Guidelines

Fibers:

• SWGMAT Fiber Examiner Training Program

Geological Materials:

• Best Practice Manual for the Comparison of Soil Traces 
• A Guide to Forensic Geology

Glass: 

• Forensic Glass Comparison:  Background Information Used in Data Interpretation
• Glass Fractures

Hair:

• Forensic Hair Comparison Background Information for Interpretation
• Response to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) publication of the “National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach” from the OSAC Materials (Trace) Subcommittee Hair Task Group
• Forensic Human Hair Examination Guidelines  
• Forensic Human Hair Examination Training Program

Paint:

• ASTM E2809-13 Standard Guide for Using Scanning Electron Microscopy/X-Ray Spectrometry in Forensic Paint Examinations
• SWGMAT Forensic  Paint Examination Training Program
• SWGMAT Standard Guide for Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry in Forensic Paint Examinations (Available:  JASTEE, Vol.5, Issue 1 pp 22-33)

Tape:

• SWGMAT Standard Guideline for Forensic Examination of Pressure Sensitive Tape (Available: JASTEE, Vol. 2, Issue 1 pp 88-97)
• SWGMAT Guideline for Assessing Physical Characteristics in Forensic Tape Examinations (Available: JASTEE, Vol. 5, Issue 1 pp 34-41)
• SWGMAT Guideline for Using Light Microscopy in Forensic Examinations of Tape Components (Available: JASTEE, Vol.2, Issue 1 pp 106-111)
• SWGMAT Guideline for Using Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy in Forensic Tape Examinations (Available: JASTEE, Vol. 2, Issue 1 pp 122-132)
• SWGMAT Standard Guide for Using Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry in Forensic Tape Examinations (Available: JASTEE, Vol.5, Issue 1 pp 42- 51)