OSAC Standards Bulletin

The OSAC Registry is a repository of high-quality, technically sound published and proposed standards for forensic science. These written documents define minimum requirements, best practices, standard protocols, and other guidance to help ensure that the results of forensic analyses are reliable and reproducible. 

All the standards on the OSAC Registry have passed a rigorous technical and quality review by OSAC members, including forensic science practitioners, research scientists, statisticians, and human factors and legal experts. 

No new standards have been added to the OSAC Registry since the previous update.

Standards Open for Comment for OSAC Registry Approval 

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. Please submit your comments by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 5, 2023, on whether the following SDO published standards should be included on the Registry:

• ANSI/ASB Standard 157, Required Components for a Proficiency Testing Program in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, 2023, 1st Ed. Submit your comments here.
• ANSI/ASB Standard 158, Standard for Developing Standard Operating Procedures in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, 2023, 1st Ed. Submit your comments here. 
• ASTM E2224-23a, Standard Guide for Forensic Analysis of Fibers by Infrared Spectroscopy. Submit your comments here.

OSAC Proposed Standards

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. To be considered, comments must be placed in the OSAC Comment Form and sent to comments [at] nist.gov (comments[at]nist[dot]gov) by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 5, 2023.

• OSAC 2023-S-0026, Task-Relevant Information in Friction Ridge Examination.  

New Published Standards

ASB published the following standards in July 2023:

• ANSI/ASB Standard 132, Standard for Population Affinity Estimation in Forensic Anthropology, 2023, 1st Ed. 
• ANSI/ASB Standard 145, Standard for Consultation during Friction Ridge Examination, 2023, 1st Ed. 

Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

On July 7, 2023, three Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) were published on pages 2-3 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB’s work on the following standards:

• BSR/ASB Std 195-202x, Standard for Scene Response: Initial Response by Scene Investigators (new standard). This document provides requirements for the activities and actions of an individual, however named, who is responsible for performing elements of a scene investigation, when responding to a scene, and the steps to be completed prior to conducting a scene search. NOTE: This is OSAC Proposed Standard (OSAC 2022-N-0025), currently on the OSAC Registry.
• BSR/ASB Std 196-202x, Standard for the Documentation and Processing of Shooting Scenes (new standard). This document provides requirements for the documentation and processing of shooting scenes that may be subject to shooting reconstruction. This document does not provide complete protocols for conducting a full shooting reconstruction. NOTE: This is OSAC Proposed Standard (OSAC 2021-N-0019), currently on the OSAC Registry.

• BSR/ASB Std 198-202x, Standard for the Technical Review of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Reporting (new standard). This document provides requirements for the reviewing of reports which contain results, interpretations, or opinions of bloodstain pattern analysts. NOTE: This is OSAC Proposed Standard (OSAC 2021-S-0011), currently on the OSAC Registry.  

On July 21, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 3 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASTM’s work on the following standard:

• BSR/ASTM WK86832-202x, Standard Practice for Reporting Incidents that May Involve Criminal or Civil Litigation (new standard). The intent of this standard is to assist scene people who are generating reports of incidents and to give a framework for the minimum information needed in such reports. This standard was withdrawn in 2022 because it did not receive a new approval date by ASTM’s required 8th year. The standard is being balloted as a reinstatement with revisions. 

On July 28, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on pages 2-3 in the ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB’s work on the following standard:

• BSR/ASB BPR 193-202x, Best Practice Recommendations for Determining What Scene and Death Locations a Medicolegal Death Investigation Authority Should Respond to for Investigation. This document will bring increased uniformity to death investigations by providing recommendations as to which scenes trained personnel should respond. NOTE: This is OSAC Proposed Standard (OSAC 2022-N-0027), currently on the OSAC Registry.
• BSR/ASB Std 030-202x, Standard for a Quality Assurance Program in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 030-2019). The second edition of this document provides additional structure and guidance on the requirements and recommendations for a quality assurance program in bloodstain pattern analysis. Additionally, the updates align this document with the newer BPA standards and accepted discipline terminology. 
• BSR/ASB Std 186-202x, Standard for Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses (new standard). Forensic DNA testing requires that statistical calculations be performed on evidentiary DNA profiles that are established as relevant in the context of the case to aid in the assessment of an inclusion or positive association with a known individual. Calculations commonly used are the likelihood ratio (LR), random match probability (RMP), or combined probability of inclusion or exclusion (CPI/CPE). This standard provides those testing requirements for the laboratory protocol for performing statistics. NOTE: This is OSAC Proposed Standard (OSAC 2021-S-0021), currently on the OSAC Registry. 
• BSR/ASB Std 199-202x, Standard for Familial DNA Searching (new standard). This document provides a framework to the laboratory to ensure that these searches balance privacy rights with the ability to provide investigative leads. The standard addresses administrative structure, validation, reporting and privacy not covered in existing documents. NOTE: This is OSAC Proposed Standard (OSAC 2021-S-0029), currently on the OSAC Registry.

Standards Open for Comment at SDOs

Stakeholders from the forensic science community are encouraged to provide input on standards as they are being developed at SDOs. For SDO published standards going through the OSAC Registry approval process, the public will have an opportunity to comment on a standard during the SDO’s public comment period but will not be given a second opportunity to comment through OSAC on whether the resulting standard should be placed on the Registry. 

Visit OSAC’s Standards Open for Comment webpage to see the full list of forensic science standards open for comment at SDOs and how to submit your feedback. This page consolidates and tracks comment deadlines for you and will be updated on a weekly basis. It currently includes:

• Six standards open for comment at ASB in biology/DNA (2), forensic document examination (1), forensic toxicology (1), and medicolegal death investigation (2).
• Six standards open for comment at SWGDE.

Participate in the OSAC Registry Implementation Open Enrollment Period 

Help demonstrate the impact that forensic science standards have had on the community by participating in OSAC’s “Open Enrollment” initiative! We have transitioned to this “open enrollment” format to annually assess the state of implementation of standards on the OSAC Registry. 

The 2023 OSAC Registry Implementation Open Enrollment period is July 18 – September 1 and forensic science service providers are encouraged to update or initiate their standards implementation activities during this time. 

Visit the OSAC website to learn more and participate. 

Call for Nominations: 2023 Sharon B. Nakich Award

OSAC is seeking nominations for the 2023 Sharon B. Nakich Award. 

In honor of our colleague, Sharon Nakich, this OSAC peer-to-peer award acknowledges a helpful attitude, kindness, teamwork, or behind-the-scenes contributions to support the goals of OSAC. It recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to promote OSAC’s mission through their support of OSAC. This nominee works diligently and tirelessly as a champion for OSAC, at times without recognition.

Eligibility:

•  All OSAC members and affiliates
•  Any non-OSAC member who has contributed significantly to furthering the mission of OSAC

To submit your nomination, please provide two or more narrative statements from two or more different individuals addressing the criteria mentioned above. Nomination justifications should include, but are not limited to, a description of:

• Specific activities the nominee was involved in that had a positive effect in supporting OSAC’s mission,
• How the individual’s action helped the organization further its goals
• Describe the nominee’s willingness to go the extra mile.

Please send your nomination and supporting documentation to Crystal DeGrange (crystal.degrange [at] nist.gov (crystal[dot]degrange[at]nist[dot]gov)) by Wednesday, August 16, 2023.

AAFS Standards Resources and Training 

As part of a cooperative agreement with NIST, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) is developing training, tools, and resources to enhance implementation efforts and broaden awareness of forensic science standards among communities of interest. 

• Standards factsheets provide a clear, concise, and easy way to understand the purpose of a specific standard, why it is needed, and the benefits of adoption. Standards factsheets are available for 90+ standards on the OSAC Registry. 
• Standards checklists are a tool that forensic science service providers can use to track progress towards implementation, identify gaps or barriers to implementation, or document objective evidence of implementation or compliance with a standard. Checklists are available for 85+ standards on the OSAC Registry. 
• Standards videos and webinars are available for free from AAFS Connect. Learn about the standards development process, standards development activities in various disciplines, and information about specific SDO published standards on the OSAC Registry. 

WEBINAR: ANSI/ASB Standard 054 Standard for a Quality Control Program in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories | August 22, 2023 |  1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

Quality control provides assurance that analytical methods are continuously fit for purpose. This half day webinar will review the requirements of ANSI/ASB Standard 054 Standard for a Quality Control Program in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories and provide real world examples of how labs have implemented the standard into their testing programs. 

NOW AVAILABLE: 2023 AAFS Workshop “Seven Habits for Highly Effective Standards Development” 

The workshop, “Seven Habits for Highly Effective Standards Development” was presented at the 2023 AAFS Scientific Symposium in Orlando. 

This workshop is now available on AAFS Connect, free of charge!  

To access it:

• Please go to AAFS Connect: accounts.aafs.org/aafs/AAFS-Connect
• On the left-hand navigation block, click on STANDARDS VIDEOS, from there you should see AAFS 2023 Workshop 7, The Seven Habits for Highly Effective Standards Development.
• NOTE: You will have to create an AAFS account if you don't have one. But when you add the video to your cart, it will be at no cost.

Upcoming Events 

International Association for Identification (IAI) 107th Annual Education Conference | August 20 – 26, 2023 | National Harbor, MD | There will be many OSAC and standards-related presentations at this year’s IAI Conference! Check the agenda and mark your calendar.