Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis Subcommittee

The Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (VITAL) Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to the application of methods and technologies to analyze information related to forensic imagery from a variety of systems.

Officers | Members | Standards | Other Work Products

Officers

Christina Malone, Subcommittee Chair, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)

Marla Carroll, Subcommittee Vice Chair, Forensic Video & Audio Associates, Inc

Patricia Mullaney, Subcommittee Executive Secretary, Virginia Department of Forensic Science

Members

VITAL Affiliate Members

Standards

On the OSAC Registry

• ASTM E2916-19e1 Standard Terminology for Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examination (added July 7, 2020).
• ASTM E3235-21 Standard Practice for Latent Print Evidence Imaging Resolution (added June 7, 2022). 
• OSAC 2021-S-0013, Standard Guide for Post Mortem Examination Photography (added March 1, 2022 and sent to ASTM for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2021-S-0027, Standard Guide for Laboratory Photography (added July 5, 2022 and sent to ASTM for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2021-S-0037, Standard Guide for Forensic Photogrammetry (added April 4, 2023 and sent to ASTM for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2022-S-0001, Standard Guide for Image Comparison Opinions (added June 6, 2023 and sent to ASTM for further development and publication).
  •  NOTE: This standard drafted in collaboration with the Facial Identification Subcommittee.
• OSAC 2022-S-0031, Standard Guide for Forensic Digital Video Examination Workflow (added January 3, 2024 and will be sent to SWGDE for for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2023-N-0001, Standard Practice for Training in the Areas of Video Analysis, Image Analysis and Photography (added July 5, 2023 and will be sent to ASTM for further development and publication).
• OSAC 2023-S-0006, Standard Guide for Photographing Scars, Marks, and Tattoos (added September 5, 2023 and will be sent to SWGDE for further development and publication).

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

• ASTM E2825-21 Standard Guide for Forensic Digital Imaging Processing.

At an SDO for Further Development & Publication

• OSAC 2021-S-0013, Standard Guide for Post Mortem Examination Photography (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).  
• OSAC 2021-S-0027, Standard Guide for Laboratory Photography (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).  
• OSAC 2021-S-0037, Standard Guide for Forensic Photogrammetry (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).  
• OSAC 2022-S-0001, Standard Guide for Image Comparison Opinions (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry). 
• OSAC 2022-S-0031, Standard Guide for Forensic Digital Video Examination Workflow (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
• OSAC 2023-N-0001, Standard Practice for Training in the Areas of Video Analysis, Image Analysis and Photography (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
• OSAC 2023-S-0006, Standard Guide for Photographing Scars, Marks, and Tattoos. (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry).
• Standard Guide for Crime Scene Photography.
• Standard Guide for Developing Discipline-Specific Methodology by ACE-V.

  • note: this standard is being drafted in collaboration with the physics/pattern interpretation sac and will follow the legacy registry approval process after it is published. 

• SWGDE Best Practices for Image Content Analysis.
• SWGDE Digital Image Compression and File Formats Guidelines.
• SWGDE Guidelines for Capturing Friction Ridge Detail. 

Under Development

• OSAC 2021-S-0036, Standard Guide for Image Authentication.
• Standard Practice for Data Acquisition from Digital Video Recording Systems.
• Guide for Image Content Analysis.
• Standard Guide on Reporting Image and Video Analysis Results. 
• Standard Guide on Process Based Quality Assurance Criteria for Digital and Multimedia Evidence.
• SWGDE Best Practices for Archiving Digital and Multimedia Evidence.
• SWGDE Guidelines for Validation Testing. 

Other Work Products

References

• Guidance on Non-routine Offsite Forensic Examination of Digital/Multimedia Evidence.

Research & Development Needs

• See the research and development needs identified by the Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis subcommittee.

Webinars, Presentations & Training Videos

• Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (VITAL) Subcommittee Updates, International Association for Identification (IAI) Conference, August 2022.
• Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (VITAL) Subcommittee Updates, American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting, February 2021. 
• Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (VITAL) Subcommittee Updates, AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting, February 2020. 
• Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (VITAL) Subcommittee Updates, IAI Conference, August 2019.
• Video/Imaging Technology and Analysis (VITAL) Subcommittee, IAI Conference, August 2018.

Discipline-Specific Bibliographies and Bibliographic References

These documents/websites 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.

• ASTM (http://www.astm.org)
• ENSFI/IFSA (http://www.enfsi.eu)
• ISO (http://www.iso.org)
• IACP (International Association Chiefs of Police) (http://www.iacp.org)
• Journal of Forensic Sciences (https://www.aafs.org)
• Journal of Forensic Identification (https://www.theiai.org)
• SWGIT (https://www.swgde.org/documents/swigit-document-archive)
• SWGDE (https://www.swgde.org)