Forensic Science Standards Board

Steven Johnson, Chair
OSAC 

Membership

550+ 

Members

Practitioners

Researchers and Academics

Private sector

Professional Societies

Expertise 25 specific forensic disciplines

General expertise in scientific 

research, measurement science, 

statistics, law, and policy
Forensic 

Science 

Landscape 

in the U.S.

409 Federal

State

Local Crime 

Laboratories

88% accredited (as of 

December 31, 2014)

14,300 full time personnel

18,000+ Law Enforcement 

Agencies

2,400+ Medical 

Examiner/Coroners Offices

2,300+ Prosecutor Offices

3,000+ Public Defenders 

Offices

Population of 327M

50 States Divided into 3007 

Counties
FSSB

Membership

20 

Members SAC and Resource Chairs

Professional Societies

Researchers and Academics

ALL VOLUNTEERS
OSAC

Committees

3 Resource 

Committees Legal

Human Factors

Quality Infrastructure

Statistics 

Task Group Statistician and/or 

Measurement Scientist 

appointed from each 

relevant OSAC unit
OSAC

Committees

5 Scientific

Area

Committees

25 SAC 

Subcommittees

Biology/DNA 3 Subcommittees

Chemistry/Instrumental 

Analysis 6 Subcommittees

Crime Scene/Death 

Investigation 7 Subcommittees

Digital/Multimedia 4 Subcommittees

Physics/Pattern Interpretation 5 Subcommittees
Composition

Employer Classification

Federal: 24%

State: 19%

Local: 18%

Academic: 19%

Private: 19%

FFRDC: 14%

Job Classification

Practitioner: 56%

Researcher: 17%

Educator: 10%

Other: 10%

Attorney: 2%

QA Manager: 2%

R&D Tech: 2%

Judge: 1%

10/31/2018 Status

550+ members 

325 affiliates

2600+ Applications
What

Does the 

FSSB Do?

Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) oversees 

the Scientific Area Committees and Subcommittees

Establishes governance rules and policies to ensure 

the development of quality standards

Encourages standards use in the provision of 

forensic science services

Administers overall operation of the organization

Approves standards for inclusion on the OSAC 

Registry

Engages in all efforts related to forensic science 

standards

Informs the forensic science community of research 

needs and gaps
• OSAC Registry serves as a trusted repository of high-quality, sciencebased standards and guidelines for forensic practice.

• Criteria: standards and guidelines must have been developed using a 

consensus-based process and must pass the OSAC review of technical 

merit by forensic practitioners, academic researchers, statisticians 

and measurement scientists. 

• Elevating a standard to the official OSAC Registry is an endorsement of 

the high quality of the document and encourages its adoption by all 

relevant agencies and practitioners.

• At this time, OSAC does not have authority to enforce standards.

• The ultimate goal of OSAC and its 550-plus members is to facilitate the 

development of science-based standards for each of 25 distinct forensic 

science disciplines and to promote their widespread adoption.
Standards 

on the 

Registry 

and in 

Progress

• OSAC Registry (15)+

• Approved by OSAC – highest level of vetting

• OSAC drafted standards published by an SDO (20+)

• Drafted by OSAC, completed SDO consensus 

process – may have changed since being 

released by OSAC, but is a published standard

• OSAC drafted standards sent to an SDO (73)

• Drafted by OSAC with input from resource 

committees, approved by SAC and send to SDO

• Under Development: OSAC drafted standards 

working through OSAC development process (250+)

• Working draft document inside the OSAC 

development process (not publicly available)
OSAC Standards 

Implementation 

Pathways
Self Adoption

Professional Associations 

Criminal Justice (Courts) 

Accrediting Bodies 

Funding Bodies (Carrot) 

Funding Bodies (Stick) 

Others

OSAC Standards 

Implementation 

Pathways
Research and 

Development

129 R&D NEEDS

• EVERY committee has identified a 

research need in their discipline

• OSAC-identified R&D needs were 

referenced and supported through NIJ 

Forensic Science R&D Solicitations

• Enriching Interdisciplinary Projects 

across the disciplines

• Identify particular strengths and 

weaknesses - of all disciplines - so that 

we may chart an effective path forward
Roadmaps
Reminder of Project Objectives

• Recognized that OSAC should have a had a plan before starting work

• Obtain a high-level view of work underway

• Standards in development

• Standards to be developed

• Goals

• See if there is duplication of topics across disciplines

• Identify areas where interdisciplinary standards should be developed 

• Ascertain progress on Organizational Priorities by Subcommittees

• Possibly halt work on certain topics

• Redirect Subcommittees priorities as appropriate

15
Analysis – # of Standards by SAC

16
Challenges

• Conclusion Scales in the Pattern Disciplines

• Terminology

• not all disciplines agree on same definition for 

many terms

• Why the OSAC preferred terms are important

• Quantifying “Significant Differences” in Trace 

Disciplines

• Bringing more rigorous validation to many 

forensic disciplines

• Addressing for whom the Standards should be 

written

• Good Enough vs. Perfect

• “living documents”

• Uncertainty in Qualitative Identifications
We still 

have work 

to do

Within OSAC

• Registry Approvals

• Improved the Registry Approval Process within OSAC

• Promote the adoption of OSAC Standards

• Revamping the Organizational Priorities

Outside OSAC

• Continue to work alongside our partners, e.g., Federal 

offices, SDOs, practitioners, and other stakeholders

• Outreach for the Implementation of OSAC Standards to 

forensic service providers, associations, criminal justice 

system, and Federal, state, and local offices
What are 

OSAC’s 

Highest 

Priorities?

• Short-term and/or Long-Term Strategic 

Plans or Roadmaps for the FSSB and SACs

• Reprioritize the mission of the member 

subcommittees

• Engage with our OSAC members, 

stakeholders, forensic science industry 

for amplified impact

• Increase the standards approved for the 

OSAC Registry
Email: forensics@nist.gov

www.nist.gov/osac

How can you work with us?
Thank you