OSAC Standards Bulletin – APRIL 2023 

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 APRIL 2023

This Standards Bulletin from the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science 

provides a monthly update on: 

● Standards moving through the OSAC Registry approval processes for published and OSAC 

Proposed Standards. 

● Standards moving through the development process at standards development organizations 

(SDOs).

Bulletin Summary:

● New standards added to the OSAC Registry: 7

● Standards under consideration for the Registry and open for comment: 4

● New SDO Published Standards: 1

● New Work Proposals: 3

● Standards open for comment at SDOs: 6

OSAC REGISTRY UPDATES 

The OSAC Registry is a repository of high-quality, technically sound published and 

proposed standards for forensic science. These written documents define minimum 

requirements, best practices, standard protocols, and other guidance to help ensure 

that the results of forensic analyses are reliable and reproducible. 

All the standards on the OSAC Registry have passed a rigorous technical and quality 

review by OSAC members, including forensic science practitioners, research scientists, 

statisticians, and human factors and legal experts.

Seven New Standards Added to the OSAC Registry 

Three SDO Published Standards (added April 4, 2023):

● ANSI/ASB Standard 011, Scope of Expertise in Forensic Document Examination, First Edition, 

2022
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● ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 126, Best Practice Recommendation for Casting 

Footwear and Tire Impression Evidence at the Crime Scene, First Edition, 2020 (Errata 1, 2022)

● ANSI/ASTM E3316-22, Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Hair by Microscopy

Four OSAC Proposed Standards (added April 4, 2023):

● OSAC 2021-S-0011, Standard for the Technical Review of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Reporting

● OSAC 2021-S-0037, Standard Guide for Forensic Photogrammetry

● OSAC 2022-S-0017, Standard Guide for Microspectrophotometry in Forensic Fiber Analysis

● OSAC 2022-S-0019, Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Fibers

Standards Open for Comment for OSAC Registry Approval 

SDO Published Standards

The OSAC Registry approval process for published standards is used to review existing SDO published 

standards for technical quality and placement on the Registry. Please submit your comments by 11:59 

p.m. ET on May 1, 2023, on whether the following SDO published standards should be included on the 

Registry:

● ANSI/ASB Standard 150, Standard Determination of Medicolegal Significance from Skeletal 

Remains in Forensic Anthropology, First Edition, 2021. Submit your comments here. 

● HL7 FHIR, HL7 Public Health Work Group, Medicolegal Death Investigation (MDI) – 1.0.0 – CI 

Build. Submit your comments here. 

● ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 114, Best Practice Recommendations for Internal 

Validation of Software used in Forensic DNA Laboratories, First Edition, 2022. Submit your 

comments here. 

● ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 107, Best Practice Recommendation for Measuring 

Trigger Pull of a Firearm and Estimating its Uncertainty, First Edition, 2022. Submit your 

comments here. 

OSAC Proposed Standards

The OSAC Registry approval process for OSAC Proposed Standards is used to review OSAC drafted 

standards for technical quality and placement on the Registry.

● There are no OSAC Proposed Standards open for comment for Registry approval at this time.

Is your organization implementing standards on the OSAC Registry?

Complete OSAC’s Registry Implementation Declaration Form found on the OSAC website and send it to 

mark.stolorow@nist.gov to let us know. Your organization will subsequently be awarded an OSAC Registry 

Implementer Certificate.

Interested in learning more about implementation? Check out OSAC’s new Implementation Recognition 

Factsheet.
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New Published Standards

ASTM recently published the following standard:

● ANSI/ASTM E3115-2017 (2023), Standard Guide for Capturing Facial Images for Use with Facial 

Recognition Systems (reaffirmation of ANSI/ASTM E3115-2017 which is currently on the OSAC 

Registry). 

Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards

On March 10, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 2-3 in the ANSI 

Standards Action. This will begin ASTM’s work on the following standards:

● ASTM WK85367-202x, New Test Method for Identification of Compounds Related to Organic 

Gunshot Residue (OGSR) by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) (new standard). 

This standard covers the qualitative analysis of extracts using liquid chromatography-mass 

spectrometry (LC-MS) to identify compounds related to organic gunshot residue (OGSR).

● ASTM WK85368-202x, New Test Method for Identification of Compounds Related to Organic 

Gunshot Residue (OGSR) by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) (new standard). 

This standard covers the qualitative analysis of extracts using electron impact ionization-gas 

chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-(EI)MS) to identify compounds related to organic 

gunshot residue (OGSR).

On March 31, 2023, a Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published on page 2 in the ANSI 

Standards Action. This will begin ASTM’s work on the following standard:

● BSR/ASB Std 188-202x, Standard for Processing Evidence for the Detection of Friction Ridge 

Impressions (new standard). This document provides requirements for the processing of 

evidence in the detection of friction ridge impressions. The standard specifies the broad class of 

processing techniques and sequences to be applied when processing such evidence. This 

document does not address the photography or digital enhancement of friction ridge 

impressions or the validation of the various processing techniques, necessary equipment, or 

storage requirements.

Standards Open for Comment at SDOs

Stakeholders from the forensic science community are encouraged to provide input on standards as 

they are being developed at SDOs. For SDO published standards going through the OSAC Registry 

approval process, the public will have an opportunity to comment on a standard during the SDO’s public 

SDO UPDATES
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comment period but will not be given a second opportunity to comment through OSAC on whether the 

resulting standard should be placed on the Registry. 

Visit OSAC’s Standards Open for Comment webpage to see the full list of forensic science standards 

open for comment at SDOs and how to submit your feedback. This page consolidates and tracks 

comment deadlines for you and will be updated on a weekly basis. It currently includes:

● 4 standards are open for comment at ASB in Biology/DNA (2), Forensic Anthropology (1) and 

Friction Ridge (1). 

● 2 standards are open for comment at ASTM for Seized Drugs.

OTHER FORENSIC SCIENCE NEWS, EVENTS & TRAINING

OSAC’s Fire & Explosion Investigation Subcommittee Develops Process Map 

OSAC’s Fire & Explosion Investigation Subcommittee has developed a process map that captures the 

decision-making and process flow details most frequently encountered in the discipline of forensic fire 

investigation. 

In addition to describing the current state of forensic fire investigation, the Fire Investigation Process 

Map can also be used to help improve efficiencies in the investigation process, highlight gaps where 

further research or standardization would be beneficial and assist with training of new investigators. It 

may also be used to develop specific policies and identify best practices. Read more.

NIST Finalizes Review of Forensic Bitemark Analysis

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized its review of the scientific 

foundations of bitemark analysis, a forensic technique in which marks on the skin of a biting victim are 

compared with the teeth of a suspected biter. The review was first published in draft form last year. 

The finalized report, Bitemark Analysis: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review, includes minor updates 

based on public comments received. Details, including a link to the final version of the report, are now 

available on the NIST website. 

Upcoming Events

● OSAC’s Physics/Pattern Interpretation, Scene Examination, and Chemistry: Trace Evidence 

Scientific Area Committees (SACs)/Subcommittees Meeting will be held in Houston, TX, April 17-

21, 2023.

● OSAC’s Digital/Multimedia, Medicine, Biology, and Chemistry: Drugs/Toxicology Scientific Area 

Committees (SACs)/Subcommittees Meeting will be held in Indianapolis, IN, May 15-19, 2023. 

● The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) Annual Symposium will be held in 

Austin, TX, April 30 – May 4. 
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Upcoming Webinars

● Overview for the Analysis of Clandestine Drug Laboratory Evidence

April 13, 2023, 1:00 PM ET 

This is an overview on the chemical analysis of items and/or samples collected at a suspected 

clandestine drug lab. This overview will follow ASTM Guide E2882 – Analysis of Clandestine Drug 

Laboratory Evidence. This presentation will NOT cover how to respond to a suspected 

clandestine drug lab. Presenter: David Gouldthorpe, Las Vegas Police Department, Forensic Lab 

Manager - Chemistry Detail 

● Training on ASTM E2329-17: Standard Practice for Identification of Seized Drugs

April 26, 2023, 1:00 PM ET 

How do you know when you have performed sufficient qualitative testing to identify a 

controlled substance in a submitted evidence item? This is a question with no definite answer 

when approached from a theoretical angle and is further complicated practically when you 

consider the budgetary, jurisdictional, and administrative differences between laboratories that 

perform analysis of seized drugs. ASTM E2329-17, Standard Practice for Identification of Seized 

Drugs is a document that outlines minimum analytical criteria that a lab should meet in order for 

an identification of a controlled substance to be made. This webinar will cover the sections of 

ASTM E2329, the practical applications in seized drug laboratories, and future changes to the 

document that are being considered. Presenter: Jason Bory, Assistant Director, US Customs & 

Border Protection, New York Laboratory 

AAFS Standards Resources and Training 

As part of a cooperative agreement with NIST, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) is 

developing training, tools, and resources to enhance implementation efforts and broaden awareness of 

forensic science standards among communities of interest. 

● Standards factsheets provide a clear, concise, and easy way to understand the purpose of a 

specific standard, why it is needed, and the benefits of adoption. Standards factsheets are 

available for 60+ standards on the OSAC Registry.

● Standards checklists are a tool that forensic science service providers can use to track progress 

towards implementation, identify gaps or barriers to implementation, or document objective 

evidence of implementation or compliance with a standard. Checklists are available for 70+ 

standards on the OSAC Registry. 

● Standards videos and webinars are available for free from AAFS Connect. Learn about the 

standards development process, standards development activities in various disciplines, and 

information about specific SDO published standards on the OSAC Registry. 
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NIJ Solicitation: FY23 Research and Development in Forensic Science for 

Criminal Justice Purposes

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is seeking proposals for basic or applied research and development 

projects that will:

● Increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science policy and practice; or

● Lead to the production of useful material(s), device(s), system(s), or method(s) that have the 

potential for forensic application. 

Please note that the closing date for submissions is April 26, 2023. For more information, visit the NIJ 

website. 

On Page 5 of NIJ’s solicitation they note that applications/projects should address the challenges and 

needs of the forensic science community, including but not limited to priorities outlined in the NIJ 

Forensic Science Strategic Research Plan and operational needs identified at NIJ’s TWG meetings, which 

may be found on NIJ.OJP.gov. Additional research needs of the forensic science community can be 

found at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees website.