News Related to: NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Launches an Updated Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST Changes to the OSAC’s structure include the addition of a new Scientific Area Committee (SAC) for forensic medicine and the separation of the chemistry SAC into two SACs, each focused on a different aspect of forensic chemistry. Closely related subcommittees have been combined, reducing their number from 25 […]

FEPAC Calls for Comments on Proposed Crime Scene Investigation Standards

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Source: Nancy J. Jackson, AAFS Accreditation and Outreach Coordinator The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) is asking for your comments on and reaction to the proposed standards shown below for academic programs in Crime Scene Investigation. Background: Based on surveys conducted over the past several years, FEPAC has developed a set of standards […]

ASB Newsletter—September 4, 2020

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Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat Six New Forensic Documents From the AAFS Standards Board The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of six new forensic standards. ANSI/ASB Standard 038, Standards for Internal Validation of Forensic DNA Testing Methods ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 068, Safe Handling of Firearms and Ammunition ANSI/ASB Standard […]

ASB Newsletter—August 21, 2020

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Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat New Forensic Toxicology Standard From the AAFS Standards Board The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of ANSI/ASB Standard 053, Standard for Report Content in Forensic Toxicology, First Edition, 2020. This document delineates the requirements for reporting results from forensic toxicology analyses. Specifically, it is intended […]

Measuring the Sensitivity of COVID Tests With New Material From NIST

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) research group that produces the Human DNA Quantitation Standard and other standards used in forensic DNA profiling have put their know-how to use in an effort to improve testing for COVID-19. COVID tests can give a false negative if a person is […]

NIST to Help Labs Achieve Accurate THC, CBD Measurements

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST The 2018 Farm Bill legalized cannabis products with less than 0.3% THC. However, labs can have a hard time getting accurate THC measurements, especially at that low level. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has now launched a program to help laboratories accurately measure key chemical […]

Update to CFSO Flash Brief—2020 July Issue

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Source: Kenneth E. Melson, JD, AAFS CFSO Liaison In the previous posting of the CFSO Flash Brief for July 2020, there was a transposition of budget categories on page 3. The correct budget figures for NIST’s OSAC are FY20: $3,150,000 and House bill: $3,150,000. The figures for NIST’s Forensic Technical Evaluations category are FY20: $1,000,000 […]

Announcing a Webinar Series on the OSAC-ASB Process

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Source: Kristy Kadash, PhD A new Promega® Webinar Series will be held over the next few months. The series is free and open to all. A portion of the abstract is provided here: A series of webinars have been created to provide information and educate the forensic and criminal justice community regarding new and emerging […]

NIST to Digital Forensics Experts: Show Us What You Got

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces the first large-scale black box study for digital forensics. There have been black box studies for fingerprint and ballistic examiners, but this is the first large-scale black box study for digital forensics. It will test how well experts perform […]

Two New Forensic DNA Standards Added to the OSAC Registry

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has placed two new standards covering the interpretation of DNA evidence on its registry of approved standards. This stamp of approval from OSAC, which is administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), indicates that these […]

News From NIST: Seeing the Spread of Drug Particles in a Forensic Lab

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researchers used black light and glow powder to show how microscopic particles—in this case, from drug powders—can be spread around a forensic chemistry lab when handling evidence. This spread cannot be completely eliminated, but it’s important for labs to manage the […]

A New Forensic Dogs and Sensors Standard From ASB

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Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of ANSI/ASB Standard 088, General Guidelines for Training, Certification, and Documentation of Canine Detection Disciplines, First Edition, 2020. This standard is produced through ASB’s Dogs and Sensors Consensus Body in a consensus process accredited by the American National Standards […]

News From NIST: Kennedy Assassination Bullets Preserved in Digital Form

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST At the request of the National Archives, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) forensic ballistics lab have used advanced imaging methods to create high-resolution 3D models of the bullets used in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This historic preservation project will allow […]

AAFS Delegation Joins CFSO in DC to Discuss Forensic Science Standards

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Source: Jeri D. Ropero-Miller, PhD, AAFS President-Elect On October 28 and 29, an AAFS delegation composed of Jeri Ropero-Miller (President-Elect), Ken Melson (AAFS CFSO representative), Lucy Davis (ASB Chair, OSAC FSSB member), and Teresa Ambrosius (ASB Secretariat) attended a Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations (CFSO) all-hands meeting outside of Washington, DC. Other meeting attendees included CFSO […]

A New Forensic Toxicology Standard From ASB

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Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of ANSI/ASB Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology, First Edition, 2019. This standard is produced through ASB’s Toxicology Consensus Body in a consensus process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The standard is based […]

Toxicology Section News—September 2019

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Source: Sabra R. Botch-Jones, MS, Section Program Chair The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Toxicology Subcommittee and the AAFS Standards Board (ASB) Toxicology Consensus Body encourage all interested parties to provide comments on three toxicology standards which are available for public comment. These documents are listed along with links to each document. Please note […]

NIST Has Announced the Restructuring OSAC (OSAC 2.0) Plan

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Source: Lucy A. Davis, BHS, AAFS Representative, OSAC Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) In the Fall of 2017, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sent out a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register on The Development of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science 2.0. Both the American […]

News From NIST: A Safer Way to Test Drug Evidence

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Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST For police and forensic chemists, opening a bag of suspicious powder that might contain fentanyl can be dangerous because of the risk of accidental inhalation. More of the powder becomes airborne than one might think. Scientists at The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated the […]

OSAC Adds ASB Standard to Registry

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Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat The ASB is pleased to announce that the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) has approved the addition of ANSI/ASB Standard 017, Standard Practices for Measurement Traceability in Forensic Toxicology, First Edition, 2018 for listing on the OSAC Registry. The OSAC Registry […]

Toxicology Section News—May 2019

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Source: Sabra R. Botch-Jones, MS, Section Program Chair The Organization of Scientific Area Communities for Forensic Sciences (OSAC) Toxicology Subcommittee recently released a draft document titled “Standard for Identification Criteria in Forensic Toxicology.” Click here to access the document. This document has been accepted by the Academy Standards Board (ASB) for development as an American […]