Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President On October 10, 2017, after reviewing input from the membership and convening by conference call to discuss the matter, the AAFS Board of Directors voted to adopt the position statement on Opioid Safety Plans proposed by the Synthetic Opioid Ad Hoc Committee. The Board of Directors appreciates […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, 2017-18 President Scientific evidence is a powerful tool in the search for the truth and the pursuit of justice. As forensic scientists, we have a duty to ensure our results and opinions are valid and reliable. Standards and best practice guidelines provide the foundation for our work and […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President The following statement has been submitted in response to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) request for input on the future structure of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC). STATEMENT OF THE AAFS BOARD OF DIRECTORS The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Board […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, 2017-18 President Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues in Louisiana and Texas, particularly in the Houston area, who have experienced the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. Members who wish to help are encouraged to make donations to the American Red Cross.
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, 2017-18 President The week of August 21-25, 2017, I had the pleasure of attending the 21st Triennial Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The opening ceremony highlighted the global span of the 1,440 delegates from 86 countries and 6 continents. IAFS President Michael Pollanen […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President On August 7, 2017, after reviewing input from the membership and convening by conference call to discuss the matter, the AAFS Board of Directors voted to adopt the position statement on access to naloxone at the worksite proposed by the Synthetic Opioid Ad Hoc Committee. The Board […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) looks forward to working with the Justice Department and others to advance forensic science. Forensic science is a crucial tool in the search for the truth that must be available to all participants in the justice system. Collaboration with the […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President On July 17, 2017, the Board of Directors notified the membership that the AAFS Synthetic Opioid Ad Hoc Committee had submitted a committee report and a proposed position statement for consideration by the Board of Directors concerning access to naloxone by first responders and forensic service providers […]
Source: Jan Seaman Kelly, BA, Section Secretary Abstracts for workshops and oral and poster presentations to be presented at the 2018 AAFS meeting in Seattle, WA, are due August 1. The theme is “Science Matters.” Consider using this opportunity to present an oral or a poster presentation on a specific examination or testing procedure you use. Should […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS On May 13, 2017, I had the honor of speaking at the commencement exercises for the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Forensic Sciences. This Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) -accredited program had 45 Bachelor of Science graduates and 15 Master of Science graduates for 2017. When I […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President The Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested public comment on how the Department should move forward to evaluate and improve the underlying science of forensic evidence, improve the operational management systems of forensic science service providers, and improve the understanding of forensic science by legal practitioners. The […]
Source: C. Ken Williams, MS, JD, Criminalistics Section Board of Directors Representative The Department of Justice extended an invitation to the AAFS to attend the 13th Meeting of the National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) in Washington, DC, on April 10-11. As the Criminalistics Section Board of Directors Representative, I was given the privilege of […]
Source: AAFS Board of Directors The American Academy of Forensic Sciences wholeheartedly commends its membership who provided expertise, wisdom, and guidance to the National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) since its 2013 origin. There are 14 Commission Members, 3 Ex-Officio Members, and numerous sub-committee members who are also members of the Academy and the work […]
Source: Betty Layne DesPortes, JD, MS, AAFS President Message to the Membership: On March 7, 2017, the AAFS Board of Directors requested input from the membership on two pieces of legislation proposed by the Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations (CFSO), of which AAFS is a member. The two pieces of federal legislation concerned: (1) the […]
In September 2016, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released its Report to the President on “Forensic Science in the Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity Of Feature-Comparison Methods.” See https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/PCAST/pcast_forensic_science_report_final.pdf. As a follow-up to this work, PCAST invites you to reply by Wednesday, December 14 to the following request: Please identify […]
Source: Brad Wing, MS, Secretariat, AAFS Standards Board As you may know, in 2015 the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) agreed to establish the Academy Standards Board (ASB) for the development of forensic standards when approached by the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC). The ASB has been up and operational since the beginning […]
Source: John E. Gerns, MFS, 2016-17 President It’s hard to believe that it has already been five months since we all met in Las Vegas! It was an excellent venue for learning new techniques, exchanging ideas, meeting old friends, making new friends, and greeting colleagues. I assure you that our meeting in New Orleans will […]
Source: Karolyn L. Tontarski, MS, Section Chair The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) is seeking an “At-Large” member to serve on the Board of Directors (BoD). The candidate is voted in by the BoD for a three-year term. Due to an unexpected departure from the BoD, we are looking to fill the unexpired term of […]
John Gerns accepts the President’s Gavel Plaque from President Victor Weedn during the 2016 Annual Business Meeting. John E. Gerns, MFS, assumed the office of AAFS President and is joined by the following individuals who were elected to office at the Annual Business Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, February 24, in Las […]
Over the course of the past two years, the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) and a subcommittee comprised of educators and practitioner experts in the field conducted an in-depth review of the FEPAC standards as they relate to Digital & Multimedia Forensic Science. The review was initiated as a result of concerns expressed […]