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Forensic science

Forensic quality assurance

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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23

Advancing forensic SNP typing: Insights from an interlaboratory study of the FORCE panel

April 21, 2026
Author(s)
Andreas Tillmar, Kimberly Andreaggi, Adam Staadig, Christina Amory, David Ballard, Erik Francisco Bergseth, Claus Borsting, Selena Cisana, Michael Coble, Lucinda Bella Davenport, Maria de la Puente, Katherine Gettings, Erin Gorden, Kelly Grisedale, Jennifer Daniels-Higgenbotham, Rachel Houston, Sheree HUGHES, Reet Jarving, Kevin Kiesler, Jonathan King, Maria Victoria Lareu, Odile Loreille, Dennis McNevin, Melissa Muenzler, Walther Parson, Vania Pereira, Christopher Phillips, Jorge Ruiz-Ramirez, Maarja Sadam, Jennifer Snedeker, Carolyn Steffen, Monika Stoljarova-Bibb, Peter Vallone, Jodie Ward, Jessica Watson, Catarina Xavier, Daniel Kling, Charla Marshall
This study evaluated the ability to produce FORensic Capture Enrichment (FORCE) genotypes using amplicon-based and capture-based enrichment assays. Fifteen laboratories from three different continents participated in this study, choosing from one of four

Validation in Forensic Science: Guiding Principles for the Collection and Use of Validation Data

December 12, 2025
Author(s)
Henry Swofford, Steven Lund, Barbara Guttman, Erica Romsos, Johannes Soons, Melissa Taylor, Hariharan Iyer, Peter Vallone, John Jones, Vincent Desiderio, John Butler, Sandra Koch, Robert Thompson, Gregory Fiumara, Edward Sisco, Kelly Sauerwein, Allison Getz, Robert Ramotowski
This document provides guidance to the forensic science community on method validation. Building on the definition of validation in ISO/IEC 17025, it explores the specific components of validation within a forensic science context and introduces five

Implications of the Bullet Black Box Study

June 5, 2025
Author(s)
Bullet Black Box Working Group
The Bullet Black Box Working Group (BulletBB-WG) was convened to review the results of the NIST-Noblis Bullet Black Box Study, and assess the implications of that study on casework. This report includes the recommendations of the BulletBB-WG on how to

DNA Mixture Interpretation: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review

December 18, 2024
Author(s)
John Butler, Hariharan Iyer, Richard Press, Melissa Taylor, Peter Vallone, Sheila Willis
Improvements in DNA testing methods have allowed forensic scientists to reduce the quantity of DNA required for profiling an individual. Today, DNA profiles can be generated from a few skin cells. This increased sensitivity has extended the usefulness of

Inconclusive Decisions and Error Rates in Forensic Science

May 4, 2024
Author(s)
Henry Swofford, Steven Lund, Hariharan Iyer, John Butler, Johannes Soons, Robert Thompson, Vincent Desiderio, John Jones, Robert Ramotowski
Conference Presentation based on technical paper in ERB (Control Number: N2024-0457).

Demystifying Accreditation A Framework for Accreditation of Forensic Units

October 1, 2023
Author(s)
Nicole Jones, Erin Forry, Donna J. Sirk
Accreditation is a formal recognition by an independent third party/accreditation body that a forensic service provider such as a laboratory, unit, or agency,a meets standards. A standard is a requirement or guideline used to ensure that a process or

A Metrology Foundation for 3D Ballistic Imaging - NIJ Final Technical Report

September 1, 2021
Author(s)
Michael Stocker, Johannes Soons, Thomas Renegar, Xiaoyu Zheng, Robert Thompson
Forensic laboratories considering optical 3D surface topography measurement for objective comparison and VCM face challenges with respect to cost, training, and quality assurance. The primary aim of this research was to address quality assurance issues

Cannabis Quality Assurance Program: Exercise 1 Final Report

July 27, 2021
Author(s)
MARYAM ABDUL-RAHMAN, Melissa Phillips, Walter Wilson
NIST launched a CannaQAP in 2020 to improve the comparability of the analytical measurements in forensic and Cannabis (hemp and marijuana) testing laboratories. CannaQAP is an interlaboratory study mechanism that is similar to a proficiency testing scheme

Forensic Handwriting Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice Through a Systems Approach

June 1, 2021
Author(s)
Melissa Taylor, Brett Bishop, Ted Burkes, Michael Caligiuri, Bryan Found, Carolyne Bird, Wesley Grose, Lauren Logan, Kenneth Melson, Mara Merlino, Larry Miller, Linton Mohammed, Jonathan Morris, John Paul Osborn, Nikola Osborne, Brent Ostrum, Christopher Saunders, Scott Shappell, H. David Sheets, Sargur Srihari, Reinoud Stoel, Thomas Vastrick, Heather Waltke, Emily Will
For some 6,000 years, humans have made an indelible mark on history through the loops, strokes, and other characters that constitute the written form of language - handwriting. The study of handwriting is also an important part of forensic science. By

Forensic Handwriting Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice Through a Systems Approach

February 17, 2020
Author(s)
Melissa Taylor, Carolyne Bird, Brett Bishop, Ted Burkes, Michael P. Caligiuri, Bryan Found, Wesley P. Grose, Lauren R. Logan, Kenneth E. Melson, Mara L. Merlino, Larry S. Miller, Linton Mohammed, Jonathan Morris, John Paul Osborn, Nikola Osborne, Brent Ostrum, Christopher P. Saunders, Scott A. Shappell, H. David Sheets, Sargur N. Srihari, Reinoud D. Stoel, Thomas W. Vastrick, Heather E. Waltke, Emily J. Will
For some 6,000 years, humans have made an indelible mark on history through the loops, strokes, and other characters that constitute the written form of language - handwriting. The study of handwriting is also an important part of forensic science. By

The Second National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC-2)

January 4, 2015
Author(s)
Theodore Vorburger, James Yen, Jun-Feng Song, Robert Thompson, Thomas Renegar, Xiaoyu Zheng, D Ott, Martin G. Ols
In response to the guidelines issued by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB-International) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, NIST and the ATF initiated a

The National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC) Project

March 9, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore Vorburger, Susan M. Ballou, Robert Thompson, James Yen, Thomas Renegar, Xiaoyu Zheng, Richard Silver, Martin Ols
In response to the guidelines issued by the ASCLD/LAB-International (American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, a NIST/ATF joint project

Latent Print Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice through a Systems Approach

February 16, 2012
Author(s)
Melissa Taylor, David H. Kaye, Thomas Busey, Melissa Gische, Gerry LaPorte, Colin Aitken, Susan M. Ballou, Leonard Butt, Christophe Champod, David Charlton, Itiel E. Dror, Jules Epstein, Robert J. Garrett, Max Houck, Edward J. Imwinkelried, Ralph Keaton, Glenn Langenburg, Deborah A. Leben, Alice Maceo, Kenneth F. Martin, Jennifer L. Mnookin, Cedric Neumann, Joe Polski, Maria A. Roberts, Scott A. Shappell, Lyle Shaver, Sargur N. Srihari, Hal S. Stern, David Stoney, Anjali Swienton, Mary Theofanos, Robert Thompson, John Vanderkolk, Maria Weir, Kasey Wertheim
Fingerprints have provided a valuable method of personal identification in forensic science and criminal investigations for more than 100 years. The examination of fingerprints left at crime scenes, generally referred to as latent prints, consists of a

Three steps towards metrological traceability for ballistics signature measurements

January 31, 2010
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore Vorburger, Robert Thompson, Thomas Renegar, Xiaoyu Zheng, Li Ma, James Yen, Martin Ols
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has developed the Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2460 bullets and 2461 casings. NIST and ATF are proposing to

Traceability for Ballistics Signature Measurements in Forensic Science

November 30, 2009
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore Vorburger, Susan M. Ballou, Li Ma, Thomas Renegar, Xiaoyu Zheng, Martin Ols
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has developed the Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2460 Bullets and 2461 Casings. NIST has also developed a 2D
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