NIST OSAC

CSI Subcommittee Update

Michael P. Kessler, CSI Subcommittee Chair

Presented to the International Association for Identification (IAI)

13 August 2019

http://nist.gov/osac
“If we are to better the

future, we must disturb

the present.”

-Catherine Booth

Cofounder, Salvation Army
OSAC STRUCTURE

» Forensic Science Standards 

Board

» Resource Committees (3)

» Scientific Area Committees (5)

» Subcommittees (25)

» Task Groups
Crime Scene/Death Investigation SAC

Consists of seven 

subcommittees.
CSI

SUBCOMMITTEE

https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/crime-sceneinvestigation-subcommittee
CSI Subcommittee

CSI Subcommittee

Crime Scene 

Reconstruction 

Task Group

Collision 

Reconstruction 

Task Group

Response & 

Identification Task 

Group

Collection & 

Preservation Task 

Group

Documentation & 

Reporting Task 

Group

Forensic Nursing 

Task Group

Veterinary Forensic 

Sciences Task 

Group

Forensic 

Entomology Task 

Group
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CSI Subcommittee

20 Subject Matter Experts

» Crime Scene Investigators

» Crime Scene Reconstructionists

» Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners

» CSI/Trace Examiners

» Laboratory Managers

» Firearms Examiner

» Shooting Reconstructionists

» Academic Researchers

» Independent Practitioners

» R&D/Industry Representative

» Forensic Entomologist

» Forensic Veterinarian

» Collision Reconstructionist
PRIORITIES

» Education, Credentials, Training

» Crime Scene Administration-report writing, evidence testing requests, data 

management

» Human Factors/Contextual Bias-detective vs crime scene investigator, 

hospital/nurse

» On Scene Activities-response, safety, documentation, evidence search, 

packaging/collection, final considerations

» Crime Scene Reconstruction

» Specialty Areas of Crime Scene Investigation
» Assessing the Culture of Contextual Bias in Forensic Scene Evidence 

Collection, Handling, and Processing

» Assessment of Level of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Required at 

Crime Scenes

» Decontamination of Crime Scene Equipment

» Laboratory Techniques and Technologies at the Crime Scene

» Use of Technology for Crime Scene Documentation

⋄ https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/osac-research-development-needs

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 

NEEDS
New Standards Sent to SDO

»Standard Practice for Crime Scene Investigator 

Training, Continuing Education, Professional 

Development, Certification, and Accreditation.
Revised Standards Sent to ASTM

»E1843-16 Standard Guide for Sexual Assault 

Investigation, Examination, and Evidence

»E2123-16 Standard Practice for Transmittal of 

Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigation

»E2124-15 Standard Practice for Specification for 

Equipment and Supplies in Sexual Assault 

Investigation
Highlights from CSI Training and 

Education Standard

»Crime Scene Investigator - a forensic science 

practitioner whose responsibility is to use the 

appropriate combination of knowledge, skills, and 

experience to undertake one or more of the 

following tasks in relation to a crime scene 

investigation: documentation, search for or identify 

evidence, evidence collection, and preservation of 

evidence. OSAC Lexicon
Education Requirements

»Associates degree with at least 8 hr of science.

»Strongly recommends a bachelor of science.

»Current experience can be substituted for the 

formal education requirement.
Continuing Education Requirements

»Responsibility of parent agency

»Minimum of 48 hr over a 2-year period.

»Continuing education must be structured, 

measurable, and documented.
Certification/Accreditation 

»“All crime scene units shall either have all crime 

scene investigation personnel certified or the 

crime scene unit shall be accredited. Ideally, all 

personnel will be certified and the crime scene 

unit will be accredited.”
ASTM E2917
Interdisciplinary 

Standards
» E1459 – Standard Guide for Physical Evidence Labeling and Related 

Documentation

» E1188 – Standard Practice for Collection and Preservation of Information 

and Physical Items by a Technical Investigator

» E1492 – Standard Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and 

Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory

» E620 – Standard Practice for Reporting Opinions of Scientific or Technical 

Experts

Existing ASTM Standards 

in Registry Approval Process
Existing ASTM Standards 

in ASTM Revision Process

» E678 – Standard Practice for Evaluation of Scientific or Technical Data

» E860 – Standard Practice for Examining And Preparing Items That Are Or 

May Become Involved In Criminal or Civil Litigation

» E1020 – Standard Practice for Reporting Incidents that May Involve 

Criminal or Civil Litigation
In Registry Approval Process

ISO 21043-2

»Forensic Sciences – Part 2:

»Recognition, recording, collecting, transport and storage of 

items

»Scope

»“This document specifies requirements for the forensic 

process focusing on recognition, recording, collection, 

transport and storage of items of potential forensic value. It 

includes requirements for the assessment and examination of 

scenes but is also applicable to activities that occur within the 

facility. This document also includes quality requirements.”
Accessing 

Published 

Standards

»ASB - public access

»ASTM - free access 

via OSAC.
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STAY 

INFORMED

https://www.nist.gov/topics/foren

sic-science
OSAC

NEWSLETTER

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periods, R&D needs, OSAC 

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OSAC 

ANNUAL REPORT

Summary of OSAC activities from 

February 2016 to February 2017 

including OSAC unit profiles.

Available at

https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/fil

es/documents/2018/01/11/osac_a

nnual_report_2017.pdf
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»OSAC has created a lexicon of over 4,000 

terms organized by forensic discipline. New 

terms will be added, revised or removed, as 

sources are verified, and as new standards are 

published.

»https://lexicon.forensicosac.org/
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TO APPLY

www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-

science/osac-application
THANKS!

Any questions?

You can find me at Web addresses » mkessler@fiu.edu

To apply

» www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/osac-application

Research & Development Needs

» https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/osac-researchdevelopment-needs 

Stay informed

» https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science