OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the

Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations

1

OSAC 2023-N-0012

Best Practice 

Recommendations for the 

Acceptance of a Request 

for Friction Ridge 

Examinations

Friction Ridge Subcommittee

Physics/Pattern Scientific Area Committee

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science
OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the

Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations

2

Draft OSAC Proposed Standard

OSAC 2023-N-0012

Best Practice Recommendations for 

the Acceptance of a Request for 

Friction Ridge Examinations

Prepared by 

Friction Ridge Subcommittee

Version: 1.0

June 2023

Disclaimer:

This OSAC Proposed Standard was written by the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) 

for Forensic Science following a process that includes an open comment period. This Proposed Standard 

will be submitted to a standards developing organization and is subject to change.

There may be references in an OSAC Proposed Standard to other publications under development by 

OSAC. The information in the Proposed Standard, and underlying concepts and methodologies, may be 

used by the forensic-science community before the completion of such companion publications.

Any identification of commercial equipment, instruments, or materials in the Proposed Standard is not a 

recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Government and does not imply that the equipment, 

instruments, or materials are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the

Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations

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Table of Contents

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2. 1

3. 1

4. 2

5. 3
OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the

Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations

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1 1. Introduction

2 1.1. This document has been developed with the objective of improving the quality and 

3 consistency of friction ridge examination practices.

4

5 1.2. The purpose of this document is to provide best practices for the acceptance of a case for 

6 friction ridge examinations to include latent print processing, friction ridge comparisons, 

7 and automated database searching. 

8

9 1.3. Acceptance criteria describes a forensic service provider’s (FSP) pre-established 

10 conditions that the customer or stakeholder must satisfy in order for a case to be 

11 accepted for friction ridge examinations. 

12

13 1.4. Clearly defined acceptance criteria should help facilitate customer expectations and 

14 enable a FSP to determine if a request is technically feasible or appropriate. 

15

16 1.5. In this document, the following verbal forms are used: “shall” indicates a requirement, 

17 “should” indicates a recommendation; “may” indicates permission; and “can” indicates a 

18 possibility or capability. 

19

20 2. Scope

21 2.1. This document addresses criteria for the acceptance of a case under consideration for 

22 friction ridge examinations to include latent print processing, friction ridge comparisons 

23 and automated database searching. 

24

25 2.2. This document does not address administrative decisions after a case has been accepted. 

26

27 3. Terms and Definitions

28 For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

29

30 3.1. Comparison (phase of the Examination methodology): The search for and detection of 

31 similarities and differences in the observed data between two potentially corresponding 

32 friction ridge impressions. 

33 3.2. Customer: Client, authority, organization or person(s) requesting the forensic services.

34 3.3. Examination: The act or process of observing, searching, detecting, recording, 

35 prioritizing, collecting, analyzing, measuring, comparing, and/or interpreting.

36 3.4. Examiner (Friction Ridge)/Competent Friction Ridge Examiner: An individual who has 

37 successfully completed their FSP’s training program and has demonstrated to the FSP 

38 that they possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the tasks required of their 

39 current position. An individual authorized to conduct friction ridge examinations for the 

40 FSP by observing and interpreting data, making decisions, forming conclusions and 

41 opinions, issuing reports and/or providing testimony.
OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the

Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations

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42 3.5. Forensic Service Provider (FSP): A forensic science entity or forensic science 

43 practitioner providing forensic science services.

44

45 4. General Requirements / Recommendations

46 4.1. The FSP shall have a written policy for the review and acceptance of requests for friction 

47 ridge examination that includes the following: 

48 4.1.1. Clearly defined and documented requirements and capabilities of the FSP.

49 4.1.2. Criteria for the documentation of any changes to the customer’s request, if 

50 applicable. 

51 4.1.3. Communication of the FSP’s limited examination policy, if applicable.

52 4.1.4. Criteria for determining case complexity/priority of requests based on pre-defined 

53 specifications from the FSP prior to acceptance.

54 4.1.5. Requirements for requests of previously examined evidence.

55 4.1.6. Specifications for how to address missing evidence or evidence that is not 

56 properly packaged. 

57 4.1.7. 

58 4.2. The FSP’s policy for the review and acceptance of requests for friction ridge 

59 examination should also include the following:

60 4.2.1. The date of collection and initials or personal marking of the individual collecting 

61 the item should be clearly documented on the evidence packaging. 

62 4.2.2. Documentation should include a description or identifier of the item. Additional 

63 information about the orientation or position of any friction ridge impressions on an 

64 object through description, diagram(s), or photograph(s) may be beneficial.

65 4.2.3. Digital images submitted in a format and preserved at a resolution that enables the 

66 FSP to properly examine the evidence consistent with the type of examination being 

performed1 67 .

68 4.2.3.1. Digital images above 1,000 ppi should satisfy the criteria for case 

69 acceptance, and those below 1,000 ppi should be reviewed by a friction ridge 

70 examiner to determine if an examination can be performed. 

1 Additional considerations related to the examination of digital images of friction ridge 

impressions can be found in ASTM E3235-21 Standard Practice for Latent Print Evidence 

Imaging Resolution.
OSAC 2023-N-0012 Best Practice Recommendations for the

Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations

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71 4.2.4. Determination of what, if any, processing and/or examinations have been 

72 performed on the evidence prior to submission and if additional friction ridge 

73 processing and/or other forensic examinations would be beneficial.

74 4.2.5. Criteria to determine whether victim or elimination print standards are necessary. 

75 4.2.6. An FSP should consider the risk of processing an item that may be considered 

76 potentially hazardous to examiners, the low success of yielding friction ridges, or 

77 the benefit of another forensic examination as a factor in case acceptance. 

78 4.3. If a case is rejected, the reason for rejection, the individual making the rejection and the 

79 date should be documented and clearly communicated to the customer.

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82 5. Appendix A: Change Log

Version Date Change

1.0 DD/MM/YYYY Original Issue

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