Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

OSAC Research Needs Assessment Form

Title	of	research	need:

Keywords:

Submitting subcommittee(s): Date	Approved:

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

Background	information:

1.	 Description	of	research	need:

2.	Key	bibliographic	references	relating	to	this	research	need:

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

Crime	scene	personnel	are	often	required	to	work	beyond	their	normal	8-hour	shift,	often	in	difficult	physical	

conditions.		No	research	is	available	as	to	the	effects	of	fatigue	on	crime	scene	personnel	effectiveness.		In	addition	to	

the	physical	demands	of	crime	scene	duties,	the	mental	stress	related	to	the	nature	of	the	work	may	also	have	an	

impact	on	fatigue-related	effects	such	as	poor	judgement	and	decision-making.

(2000)	Tired	Cops:	The	importance	of	managing	police	fatigue

Bryan	Vila	and	Dennis	Jay	Kenney	(2002)	Tired	Cops:	The	Prevalence	and	Potential	Consequences	

of	Police	Fatigue.	NCJRS

Barnes	&	Hollenbeck	(2009)	Sleep	deprivation	in	decision	making	teams:	burning	the	midnight	oil	

and	playing	with	fire.	Academy	of	Management	Review.	Vol	34,	No	1.

Many	studies	have	been	conducted	by	the	transportation industry	and	medical	community	related	

to	the	effects	of	fatigue.

Understanding	the	cognitive	and	physical	limitations	of	personnel	will	support	quality	workflow	

and	output.		The	research	results	have	the	potential	to	impact	crime	scene	management	policy	

leading	to	more	efficacious	evidence	identification	and	collection,	impacting	downstream	

laboratory	analysis.

Effects	of	on-scene	fatigue on	Crime	Scene	Investigators

Fatigue,	physical	fatigue,	mental	fatigue,	diminished	capacity

CSI 11/7/2018
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

3b.		In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	understanding	of	the	scientific	basis	for	the	

subcommittee(s)?

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

4.		Status assessment	(I,	II,	III,	or	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.

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

The	research	reinforces	the	notion	that	crime	scene	investigation	is	an	essential	component	of	the	

overall	forensic	science	process.		Quality	scene	processing	affects	laboratory	analysis.		The	research	

results	will	provide	a	limit	of	detection	as	well	as	potential	rates	of	error	caused	by	fatigue.	

By	understanding	how	to	mitigate	the	effects	of	fatigue	on	the	judgement	and	effectiveness	of	crime	

scene	personnel,	the	criminal	justice	system	will	be	served	by	improved	crime	scene	processing	

and	work	product	that	ultimately	serves	the	trier	of	fact.

					II		
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

// Approval	date:

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

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

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

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

Approval	date:

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

Subcommittee 11/7/2018

SAC