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Forensic Science Service Providers
The “traditional” 420+ publicly funded forensic crime labs as well as the thousands of other “non-traditional” forensic science service providers (FSSPs) (e.g., those smaller operations that may only provide examination or analysis support in one or a few disciplines like crime scene investigation, fingerprints, or digital evidence) are the primary beneficiaries of the standards on the OSAC Registry.
For these publicly and privately funded FSSPs, the OSAC Registry contains minimum requirements, best practices, protocols, or other information to promote valid, reliable, and reproducible forensic science results.
Putting Standards Implementation into Action
Standards implementation is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each FSSP and discipline will have unique needs and approaches. Both “traditional” and “non-traditional” FSSPs can voluntarily implement the standards on the OSAC Registry (or portions of standards) that work best for their situation.
Whether an FSSP is new to standards implementation, or has already put it into action, here are some tips to help. Learn more about each of these by clicking on the icons below.
| Enlist support from management and get familiar with the OSAC Registry and the standards that are applicable to your organization. |
| Determine which standards are applicable to your organization, along with the requirements you may already be following. Enlist the help of other FSSPs and mentors for technical guidance on implementation. |
| Document your implementation status and let OSAC know about your accomplishments by submitting an OSAC Registry Implementation Survey. |
| Continue to monitor the OSAC Registry for new standards and share updates on your organization’s implementation status on a regular annual basis. |
Is Your Organization Implementing Standards on the OSAC Registry?
Join the cohort of 200+ OSAC Registry Implementers! Review these instructions and complete OSAC's electronic survey to submit your implementation activities. If you are a FSSP and first-time implementer, you will receive a certificate you can display at your facility.
