Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Friction Ridge Subcommittee
The Friction Ridge Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to the forensic examination of friction ridge detail from the hands and feet.
Officers | Members | Standards | Other Work Products
Officers
Heidi Eldridge, Subcommittee Chair, George Washington University
Joshua Connelly, Subcommittee Vice Chair, Douglas County Sheriff's Office
Andrew Pacejka, Subcommittee Executive Secretary, Utah Bureau of Forensic Services
Members
Brianne Breedlove, Uncover Forensics
Patrick Buzzini, Sam Houston State University
Jack Flanders, Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory
Kalisha Gill, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
Nova Grilli, Charleston Police Department
Richard Gutierrez, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Law (Legal Task Group Vice Chair)
Mandi Hornickel, Illinois State Police
Sharon Kelley, University of Virginia (Human Factors Task Group representative)
Louis Kriel, Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Amanda Luby, Assistant Professor of Statistics Carleton College (Statistics Task Group representative)
Delilah Ortiz-Meyer, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL) (Quality Task Group Representative)
Michelle Machalka, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Elizabeth Molina, Dallas Police Department
Eric Ray, IDEMIA
Norberto Rivera, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
AshLee Taylor, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Christie VanAndel, Nebraska State Patrol
Friction Ridge Affiliate List
Proposed Standards by OSAC that are at an SDO for Further Development & Publication
All proposed standards listed below are completed work products of the OSAC Friction Ridge Subcommittee and have passed a rigorous technical and quality review by the subcommittee. The subcommittee encourages the forensic science community to implement these proposed standards. These proposed standards were developed by the Subcommittee, prior to October 1, 2020, when the OSAC Proposed Standards for the OSAC Registry approval procedures went into effect.
- Best Practice Recommendations for the Verification Component in Friction Ridge Examination (as of January 17, 2023, the Friction Ridge Subcommittee is evaluating the published version of this document, ANSI/ASB 144, for placement on the OSAC Registry).
- Best Practice Recommendation for Articulating a Source Identification in Friction Ridge Examination.
- Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Conclusions.
- Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Training Program.
- Standard for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions.
- Best Practice Recommendations for Technical Review in Friction Ridge Identification.
- Best Practice Recommendation for Analysis of Friction Ridge Impressions.
- Best Practice Recommendation for Comparison and Evaluation of Friction Ridge Impressions.
- Standard for Reporting Results from Friction Ridge Examinations.
- Best Practice Recommendation for Testimony Monitoring.
Standards
On the OSAC Registry
- ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 142 Best Practice Recommendations for the Resolution of Conflicts in Friction Ridge Examination, 2022, 1st Ed. (added February 6, 2024)
- ANSI/ASB Standard 145 Standard for Consultation During Friction Ridge Examination, 2023, 1st Ed. (added July 2, 2024)
- ANSI/ASTM E3235-21 Standard Practice for Latent Print Evidence Imaging Resolution (added June 7, 2022)
- OSAC 2021-N-0020 Best Practice Recommendations for Limited Examinations (added April 5, 2022)
- OSAC 2022-N-0033 Standard for Processing Evidence for the Detection of Friction Ridge Impressions (added September 6, 2022)
- OSAC 2022-S-0012 Standard for Proficiency Testing in Friction Ridge Examination (added June 7, 2022)
- OSAC 2022-S-0038 Standard for Feature Selection in Friction Ridge Examination (added September 5, 2023)
- OSAC 2023-S-0026 Task-Relevant Information in Friction Ridge Examination (added October 1, 2024)
Published by a Standards Developing Organization (SDO) & Eligible for OSAC Registry Review
At an SDO for Further Development & Publication
- ASB Best Practice Recommendation 183 Best Practice Recommendations for Limited Examinations for Friction Ridge
- ASB Standard 013 Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Conclusions
- ASB Standard 185 Standard for Proficiency Testing in Friction Ridge Examination
- ASB Standard 188 Standard for Processing Evidence for the Detection of Friction Ridge Impressions
- ASB Technical Report 012 Technical Report on the Articulation of the Reasoning and Foundational Principles Behind Friction Ridge Examinations
- ASB Technical Report 016 Terminology Related to Friction Ridge Examination
- OSAC 2021-N-0020 Best Practice Recommendations for Limited Examinations (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
- OSAC 2022-N-0033 Standard for Processing Evidence for the Detection of Friction Ridge Impressions (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
- OSAC 2022-S-0012 Standard for Proficiency Testing in Friction Ridge Examination (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
- OSAC 2022-S-0038 Standard for Feature Selection in Friction Ridge Examination (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
- OSAC 2023-S-0026 Task-Relevant Information in Friction Ridge Examination (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
- OSAC ND-75 Best Practice Recommendations for the Verification Component in Friction Ridge Examination
- OSAC ND-76 Best Practice Recommendation for Articulating a Source Identification in Friction Ridge Examination
- OSAC ND-77 Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Conclusions
- OSAC ND-78 Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Training Program
- OSAC ND-79 Standard for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions
- OSAC ND-80 Best Practice Recommendations for Technical Review in Friction Ridge Identification
- OSAC ND-81 Best Practice Recommendation for Analysis of Friction Ridge Impressions
- OSAC ND-82 Best Practice Recommendation for Comparison and Evaluation of Friction Ridge Impressions
- OSAC ND-83 Standard for Reporting Results from Friction Ridge Examinations
- OSAC ND-84 Best Practice Recommendation for Testimony Monitoring
Under Development
- AFIS Best Practices
- OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations
- Personnel Recruitment/Selection
Other Work Products
Process Maps
- Friction Ridge Process Map, December 2019.
Reference Documents
- OSAC Friction Ridge Subcommittee's Response to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology's (PCAST) Request for Additional References - Submitted December 14, 2016.
- OSAC Friction Ridge Subcommittee's Response to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology's (PCAST) Request for Information – Submitted December 2015.
Research & Development Needs
- See the research and development needs identified by the Friction Ridge Subcommittee.
Standards Development Maps
Webinars, Presentations & Training Videos
- *NEW* Implementing Friction Ridge Registry Standards, International Association for Identification (IAI) Conference, August 2024.
- Development of Standards and Best Practice Recommendations for Friction Ridge Evidence: Update from the OSAC Friction Ridge SC and ASB Friction Ridge Consensus Body, IAI Conference, August 2024.
- Standards Development Activities Related to Friction Ridge Examination, American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Conference, February 2024.
- Friction Ridge Subcommittee Updates, IAI Conference, August 2021.
- Friction Ridge Subcommittee, SAC Physics/Pattern Updates, IAI Conference, August 2019.
- OSAC Friction Ridge Subcommittee at OFIA-TPS Conference, May 30, 2019.
- Friction Ridge Subcommittee, SAC Physics/Pattern Update, Habeas Assistance and Training Counsel Project, Eighth National Seminar on Forensic Evidence and the Criminal Law “Fingerprint Evidence", April 27, 2019.
- OSAC Friction Ridge Subcommittee, IAI Conference, August 2018.
Discipline-Specific Bibliographies and Bibliographic References
These documents 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.
- SWGFAST Position Statement on the Role of AFIS Ranks and Scores and the ACE-V Process.
- SWGFAST Guideline for the Articulation of the Decision-Making Process for the Individualization in Friction Ridge Examination (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard Friction Ridge Automation Training (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Application of Blind Verification of Friction Ridge Examinations (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Recommendations for Competency Testing of Noncertified Latent Print Examiners (Latent) Position Statement.
- SWGFAST Standard for Consultation (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standards for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions and Resulting Conclusions (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standards for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions and Resulting Conclusions (Latent/Tenprint) Draft for Comment.
- SWGFAST A Model Policy for Friction Ridge Examiner Professional Conduct (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standards for Minimum Qualifications and Training to Competency for Friction Ridge Examiner Trainees (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for a Quality Assurance Program in Friction Ridge Examinations (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Definition and Measurement of Rates of Errors and Non-Consensus Decisions in Friction Ridge Examination (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for Simultaneous Impression Examination (Latent).
- SWGFAST Standard for Friction Ridge Impression Digital Imaging (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for Reporting Friction Ridge Examinations (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Documentation of Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification (ACE-V) (Latent).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Documentation of Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification (ACE-V) in Tenprint Operations (Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for Friction Ridge Comparison Proficiency Testing Program (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Review of Testimony of Friction Ridge Examiners (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Technical Review of Friction Ridge Examinations (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Uniform Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Feature Symbols Position Statement (Latent/Tenprint).
- SWGFAST Standard for the Validation and Performance Review of Friction Ridge Impression Development and Examination Techniques (Latent/Tenprint).