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: Quality Assurance Framework for Crime Scene Investigation 

Keyword(s): quality management, crime scene investigation, quality control, quality assurance

Submitting	subcommittee(s): Crime Scene Investigations Date	Approved: 11/7/2018

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

Background	Information:

1. Description	of	research	need:

Quality Management (QM) Systems have been developed and widely incorporated into laboratory systems. 

Need exists for the determination of how to apply these quality assurance standards to crime scene 

processing, with specific attention to the innate differences between laboratory and field work. What are 

specific quality assurance measures currently implemented by different accredited crime scene and 

SANE/SART units? What results and issues are currently accredited crime scene units seeing from their QM

systems? There needs to be a fit for purpose and scalable quality system that can be implemented in 

differently sized and scoped units as the majority of crimes scene practitioners fall outside the scope of 

traditional laboratories and their quality assurance systems. How can one create a standalone QM system 

that is not reliant on existing laboratory QM systems? 

2. Key	bibliographic	references	relating	to	this	research	need:

ISO 17020, ISO 1705, ISO 21043-2, no research publications currently available

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

Capabilities of the laboratory would improve by the incorporation of structured QM systems to crime scene 

units as the quality of processing and collection of items to be sent to the laboratory would increase. 

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

subcommittee(s)?

This research would provide the subcommittee with base line procedures currently in place as well as 

proposed new best practice so that the committee can increase the scientific basis for Crime Scene Unit QM

systems. 

3c.		In	what	ways	would	the	research results	improve	services	to	the	criminal	justice	system?
Version	1.1	/	Date	of	Issue:	2.09.16 /	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

Effective QM systems aid in retained confidence of the judicial system. Currently a majority of crime scene 

units are not accredited and with this research we aim to allow more accessibility for Crime Scene Units to 

develop effective QM Systems. 

4.		Status	assessment	(I,	II,	III,	or	IV): I 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: 11/7/2018

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

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.)