Version	1.1	/	Date	of	Issue:	2.09.16 /	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

OSAC	RESEARCH	NEEDS	ASSESSMENT	FORM

Title	of	research	need: Assessment	of	Level	of	Personal	Protective	Equipment	(PPE)	Required	at	Crime	

Scenes

Keyword(s): PPE,	DNA,	Biohazards,	Trace	evidence,	Contaminants,	Blood,	Touch	DNA

Submitting	subcommittee(s): Crime	Scene	Investigation Date	Approved: Sept. 30,	2016

(If	SAC	review	identifies	additional	subcommittees,	add	them	to	the	box	above.)

Background	Information:

1. Description	of	research	need:

Crime	Scene	Investigators	don	personal	protective	equipment	at	crime	scenes	to	prevent	the	contamination

of	evidence	at the	crime	scene.		Safety	precaution	to	prevent	the	transfer	of biohazardous	materials that	

may	be	present	to	the	individual is	available through	OSHA	guidelines.		Locard’s	Exchange	Principle	or	the	

theory	of	transfer	provides	that	“two	objects	which	come	into	contact	with	one	another	exchange	material”	

is	the	underlying	reasoning	for	the	PPE	requirement.		 The	level	of	PPE	required may	be	dictated	by	scene	

conditions	and	tasks	to	be	performed there.				

Specific	areas	of	research	include:

1. Measurable	impact (threat	of	contamination)	from the	presence	of	crime	scene	personnel	on	the	

scene	and	physical	evidence	contained	within.

2. Measurable	impact (threat	of	contamination) of	crime	scene	personnel	during	the	collection	of

various items	of evidence using	increasing	levels	of	PPE.

2. Key	bibliographic	references	relating	to	this	research	need:

Back,	Carly	(2015)	“Reducing	Contamination	in	Forensic	Science”,	Thesis:	Research	Journal	of	Justice	

Studies.	Vol.	3:	Iss.	1,	Article	12

Finnebraaten,	M.	Graner,	T.	&	Hoff-Olsen,	P.	(2008)	May	a	Speaking	Individual	Contaminate	The	Routine	

DNA	Laboratory?	Forensic	Science	International:	Genetics	Supplement	Series	1	

3a. In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	current	laboratory	capabilities?

Crime	scene	personnel	must	use	collection,	packaging,	transportation	and	storage	methodologies	that	

preclude	alteration,	addition,	and	deleterious	change to evidence.		The	use	of	all	levels	of	PPE	at	every	crime	

scene	may	not	be	feasible or	necessary.		Decisions	regarding the	level	of	PPE	necessary are	currently

somewhat anecdotal in	nature and	would	be	better	supported	by	underlying	research.

3b. In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	understanding	of	the	scientific	basis	for	the	
Version	1.1	/	Date	of	Issue:	2.09.16 /	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

subcommittee(s)?

There	is	currently	(little	or	no)	data	to	support	the actual	impact	of	crime	scene	personnel	as	contaminants	

to the	crime	scene	and	evidence	that	would	provide guidance	in	making	informed	decisions	regarding	the	

level	of	PPE	that	is	required.

3c.		In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	services	to	the	criminal	justice	system?

The	results	of	this	research	would	assist	in	the	management	of	specific	contamination	risks	associated	with	

crime	scene	investigation	and	the	collection	of	all	types	of	evidence	that	could	potentially	be	available	at	a	

scene.

4.		Status	assessment	(I,	II,	III,	or	IV): II Major gap	in	

current	

knowledge

Minor	gap	in	

current	

knowledge

No	or	limited

current	research	

is	being	conducted

I III

Existing current	

research	is	being	

conducted

II IV

This	research	need	has	been	identified	by	one	or	more	subcommittees	of	OSAC	and	is	being	provided	as	an	

informational	resource	to	the	community.

Approvals:

Subcommittee Approval	date: 9/30/2016

(Approval	is	by	majority	vote	of	subcommittee.	Once	approved,	forward	to	SAC.)

SAC

1.		Does	the	SAC	agree	with	the	research	need? Yes X No

2.		Does	the	SAC	agree	with	the	status	assessment? Yes X No

If	no,	what	is	the	status	assessment	of	the	SAC:

Approval	date: Feb. 9,	2017

(Approval	is	by	majority	vote	of	SAC.		Once	approved,	forward	to	NIST	for	posting.)