The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency dedicated to advancing measurement science, standards, and technology. NIST manages grants for technological research, works with employers and private contractors, and maintains a laboratory for in-house research in a wide variety of fields, including forensic science. Each year, NIST holds a conference …
Dogs – 1, Defendants – 1
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the second of two dog sniff cases before it this term. In Florida v. Jardines, the Court held that taking a drug-sniffing dog on the front porch of a house is a search for purposes of the Fourth Amendment. The Court held that the front porch is within …
ABA Resolution concerning forensic evidence
The ABA House of Delegates approved a Resolution in 2012 urging judges to consider several factors when determining the manner in which expert testimony is presented in criminal trials. The Resolution and its accompanying report urge attorneys and judges to seek “innovative solutions” to help jurors understand the significance and limitations of scientific evidence, such …
Part 3: ISO and the NC Forensic Sciences Act of 2011
This is the third in a three-part series on lab accreditation, analyst certification, and ISO-compliant lab procedures by Ryan Niland. In response to concerns about the failures of the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory (formerly known as the SBI lab), North Carolina passed the Forensic Sciences Act (FSA) in 2011. Among other things, the FSA …
Part 3: ISO and the NC Forensic Sciences Act of 2011Read More
Part 2: The Lab Accreditation Process
This is the second in a three-part series on lab accreditation, analyst certification, and ISO-compliant lab procedures by Ryan Niland. Several major organizations offer accreditation services for forensic labs in the United States. The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) is by far the largest accrediting body for forensic labs, followed by …
Part 1: What’s the difference between accreditation and certification?
This is the first in a three-part series on lab accreditation, analyst certification, and ISO-compliant lab procedures by Ryan Niland. Understanding the distinctions between lab accreditation and analyst certification can be important when critically examining forensic analyses. Although both processes relate to quality assurance for forensic analysis, the term accreditation generally applies to laboratories as …
Part 1: What’s the difference between accreditation and certification?Read More