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?

Soil	contains	components	with	differences	in	shape,	size,	density,	magnetic	susceptibility,	and	other	

physical	properties.	Sorting	processes	may	take	place	during	and/or	after	transfer	of	soil	from	a	

source	to	evidence.	Research	is	needed	to	investigate	the	effects	of	different	variables	on	the	

relative	abundance	of	soil	components	after	transfer.	Variables	that	could	be	considered	include	

but	are	not	limited	to	the	type	of	donor	substrate,	receiving	substrate,	time	since	transfer,	and	

environmental	factors	such	as	moisture	content.

Chazottes,	V.	et	al.	(2004)	Particle	size	analysis	of	soils	under	simulated	scene	of	crime	conditions:	

the	interest	of	multivariate	analyses.	Forensic	Science	International,	140:	159-166.

Croft,	D.J. and	Pye,	K.	(2004)	Multi-technique	comparison	of	source	and	primary	transfer	soil	

samples:	an	experimental	investigation. Science	&	Justice, 44: 21	– 28.

Garzanti,	E.	et	al.	(2006)	Petrology	of	Nile	River	sands	(Ethiopia	and	Sudan):	Sediment	budgets	and	

erosion	patterns.	Earth	and	Planetary	Science	Letters, 252:	327–341.

This	research	would	provide	increased	front-end	understanding	of	the	possible	effects	of	several	

factors	on	the	forensic	analysis	of	soils.	This	foundation	would	assist	laboratories	in	developing	

well-informed	and	scientifically	grounded	policies	regarding	these	analyses	(e.g.	defining	time	

limitations	on	sample	collections	from	clothing	worn	after	an	incident).	Furthermore,	the	

information	obtained	may	enhance	analysts’	understanding	of	the	significance	of	features	

identified	in	submitted	samples.	

Transfer	and	Persistence	of	Soils

Transfer,	Persistence,	Fidelity,	Soil	Types,	Sorting,	Moisture	Content,	Morphology

Geological	Materials
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

*Increased	understanding	of	the	effects	of	specific	variables,	both	individually	and	as	a	group

*Stronger	foundation	for	describing	hypotheses	(as	opposed	to	limiting	to	personal	experiences)

*Improved	comprehension	of	the	effects	of	soil	sorting	via	activities	and	other	common	factors;	

possible	quantification	of	resulting	shifts	in	mineral	populations

The	results	will	assist	by	strengthening	the	ability	of	the	analysts	to	speak	to	the	following	points –

based	on	soil	types	and	sorting	factors:

1. Limitations	to	sample	size/population

2. Identification	and	significance	of	unusual	characteristics	

3. Restrictions	on	ability	to	conduct	comparisons	

4. Enhanced	confidence	in	analytical	results

5. Effects	of	specific	case	factors	(e.g.	time,	water,	location)

I
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

SA

C