OSAC Lexicon
The OSAC Lexicon is a compendium of forensic science terms and definitions. This terminology tool was created to help bring consistency and understanding to the way terms are used by the various forensic science. Use of the OSAC Lexicon does not replace the need to reference the original published source.
The terms and definitions in the OSAC Lexicon come from the published literature, including documentary standards and technical reports. It is continually updated with the latest work from OSAC units, as well as terms from newly published documentary standards and standards elevated to the OSAC Registry.
Gradually terms are evaluated and harmonized by the OSAC to a single term. This process results in an OSAC Preferred Term. An OSAC Preferred Term is a term, along with its definition, that has undergone review and evaluation by the FSSB Terminology Task Group and has been approved by the FSSB. The FSSB recommends that subcommittees use OSAC Preferred Terms when drafting standards.
The OSAC Lexicon should be the primary resource for terminology and used when drafting and editing forensic science standards and other OSAC work products.
An impression or image of friction ridge skin left on a surface.
Any public employee whose duties primarily involve the enforcement or investigation of alleged or suspected violations of law.
The systematic process of removing debris from the top down and observing the relative location of artifacts at the fire scene.
A period in which early progress in learning appears to have stopped and improvement is at a standstill. The plateau is followed by a new period of progress.
Indicates that the transaction element was valid in previous versions of the standard.Systems claiming conformance to this version of the standard shall only use the elementwhen transmitting information stored prior to the adoption of this version of the standard.
This characterizes the dispersion of values used for measuring dental age assessment based on the variation within the data.
Storage library created by Google for fast key-value storage that provides an ordered mapping from string keys to string values. See GitHub project: https://github.com/google/leveldb
In facial identification, a verbal or numeric scale that indicates the level of confidence regarding identification or exclusion of a subject.
In facial identification, a verbal or numeric scale that indicates the level of confidence regarding identification or exclusion of a subject
A product of an EDD examination. The developed toner image on the imaging film is preserved by applying fixing film to create a lift.
An adhesive or other medium used to capture and preserve an impression.
An adhesive or other medium used to capture and preserve an impression.
a microscope that employs light in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
A microscope that employs light in the visible or near-visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
A subclass of ignitable liquid characterized in ASTM E1618-11 "Standard Test Method for Ignitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry" as a petroleum distillate where the majority of components have a boiling range between that of butane (C4) and nonane (C9). There will be no major components with a boiling range greater than undecane (C11).
In facial identification, an automated conclusion based upon threshold scores with no human involvement.
In facial identification, an automated conclusion based upon threshold scores with no human involvement
the majority non-carbohydrate portion of wood; it is an amorphous polymeric substance that cements cellulosic fibers together and is the principal constituent of woody cell walls.
The majority non-carbohydrate portion of wood; it is an amorphous polymeric substance that cements cellulosic fibers together and is the principal constituent of woody cell walls
An estimate of the lowest concentration of an analyte in a sample that can be reliably differentiatedfrom blank matrix and identified by the analytical method.
An estimate of the lowest concentration of an analyte in a sample that can be reliably differentiated from blank matrix and identified by the analytical method.
An estimate of the lowest concentration of an analyte in a sample that can be reliably differentiated from blank matrix and identified by the analytical method.
An estimate of the lowest concentration of an analyte in a sample that can be reliably differentiated from blank matrix and identified by the analytical method
An estimate of the lowest concentration of an analyte in a sample that can be reliably differentiated from blank matrix and identified by the analytical method.
An estimate of the lowest concentration of an analyte in a sample that can be reliably differentiated from blank matrix and meets identification criteria for the analytical method.
Lowest amount of an analyte that is detectable with a given confidence level
A site designed to test the canine's ability to search and indicate independently of the handler.
Utilization of a canine to scent discriminate among a predetermined sequence of items with target odor/scent(s) versus non-target odor/scent(s).
Consists of finding the best-fit linear relationship between the instrument response (Y) and the concentration of the analyte in the calibrator (X)
A thin layer of butyl rubber compound that holds the air inside the tire.
The borders defining the differences in fire effects on materials between the affected area and adjacent, less-affected areas.
Type of analysis often used by law enforcement that uses visual or other means of showing relationships between people, places, events, and things by linking them through timelines, telephone calls, emails, or any other consistent scheme
Document(s) exposed to or immersed in liquid(s).
Equipment, materials, or services included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evaluation of services, and whose listing states that either the equipment, material, or service meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.
the time during which an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer is available to accept and process incoming X-rays.
Discussion—Live time is often expressed as a percentage of real time, in seconds.
The time over which the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy electronics are available to accept and process incoming X-rays. Live time is often expressed as a percentage of real time
The time over which the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy electronics are available to accept and process incoming X-rays. Live time is often expressed as a percentage of real time.
Time in which the EDS electronics are available to accept and process incoming X-rays
Computer network covering a local area such as a home, office, or small group of buildings, such as a college
Utilization of a trailing canine to determine if a matching scent is located at a specific site or not by using a scent article.
Utilization of a trailing canine to determine if an associated scent is located at a specific site or not by using a scent article.
A test involving one odor per 0.3 meters (1 foot), 1 minute per odor.
A unique physical location on the DNA molecule.
A unique physical location of a gene (or specific sequence of DNA) on a chromosome.
A record of actions, events, and related data.
A record of actions, events, and related data
In computer forensics,an accurate reproduction of information contained within a logical volume (for example, mounted volume, logical drive assignment, and so forth).
In computer forensics, an accurate reproduction of information contained within a logical volume (for example, mounted volume, logical drive assignment, and so forth)
In computer forensics, a partition or a collection of partitions acting as a single entity that has been formatted with a filesystem.