The Forensic Laboratory

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The Forensic Laboratory
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• K-Fed sez
• Quiz on Friday.

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Summary

• Lab management
• Accreditation and certification
• Qualification of forensic examiner
• Role of criminalist
• Introduction to evidence
• Introduction to lab sections

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Lab Management

• Forensic laboratory not only analyzes physical
  evidence, but is also involved in its
  recognition, collection, and preservation.

• Members of the crime lab are also involved in
  educating and training officers on these subjects

• Members of the crime lab are also involved with
  educating attorneys, judges, and juries on how to
  weigh the results of analysis.

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Lab Management gt Quality Assurance

• Quality Assurance (QA)

• Programs that are designed to ensure that a labs
  results are scientifically valid and reported
  opinions are reliable

May include

• Required education
• Peer review of reports
• Documentation rules

• Auditing testimony
• Evidence handling rules
• Lab security

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Lab Management gt Quality Assurance

• Quality Assurance (QA)

• Programs that are designed to ensure that a labs
  results are scientifically valid and reported
  opinions are reliable

An important part of quality assurance programs
is proficiency testing.
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Lab Management gt Quality Assurance gt Proficiency
Testing

• Proficiency Tests

Simulated forensic cases with known results
Can be done

• Internally (by the lab being tested) or

• Externally (by an outside testing agency)

External agencies will compile and publish their
results to benefit all labs.
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Lab Management gt Quality Assurance gt Staffing

• Staffing

National guidelines provide education
requirements

• Degree requirements
• Specific coursework requirements

Many labs include an extensive background
investigation.
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Lab Management gt Section Organization

• Section Organization

• Analysts (entry level)
• Perform the analysis (specialized in one area)
• Currently hire scientists
• Older employees may be trained officers

• Section Supervisors
• Supervise one area of the lab (Drugs, DNA, Trace)
• May also examine cases
• Supervisory duties can be distributed among
  persons who report to the head supervisor
• Are scientists (or older trained officers)

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Lab Management gt Quality Assurance
Section Organization

• Quality Assurance Manager
• Make sure QA requirements are met

• Lab Director
• Must have a range of forensic knowledge
• Does not analyze evidence
• Anticipates staffing, equipment, and training
  needs
• Also helps to make sure QA requirements are met

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Accreditation and Certification

• Accreditation

• Laboratories should be accredited

• Labs are accredited by ASCLD
• American Society of Crime Lab Directors

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Accreditation/Certification gt Accreditation

• Accreditation

• Begins with application and inspection
• Review of written procedures
• Review of Quality Assurance programs
• Review security and safety
• After inspection, the lab corrects any problems
  found

• Accreditation lasts 5 years
• Must submit annual self-evaluation, including
  proficiency tests
• After 5 years, lab is reinspected

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Accreditation/Certification gt Certification

• Certification

Criminalists (people) can be certified.
Criminalists are certified by ABC (American Board
of Criminalistics), IAI (International
Association of Identification), and other
organizations.
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Accreditation/Certification gt Accreditation
Certification
Must apply and submit to written tests

• Renewed annually by providing an account of
  professional activities.
• Training/Education
• Publications
• Proficiency test results

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Types of Labs
Accreditation/Certification gt Types of Labs

• Government Labs (see previous lecture)
• Private Labs
• One important purpose of private labs is they
  provide a defendant with the ability to refute
  scientific evidence presented by the prosecution.

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Qualifications of a Criminalist

• B.S. in natural sciences
• Even with a MSFS degree, most training will be
  on-the-job.
• Accredited labs have written training manuals
  detailing the training process.

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Qualifications of a Criminalist

• Higher education (MSFS or Ph.D.) is required for
  certain supervisory positions

• Accreditation and Certification require employees
  to continue their education
• Forensic meetings
• Training courses
• In-house training

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Role of Criminalist gt Investigator/Educator/Studen
t

• A criminalist must perform the duties of an
  investigator, educator, and student.

• Investigator
• Must obtain information from police investigators
  that could affect scientific analysis (condition
  of evidence, information needed from evidence).
• Must be careful to not become too emotionally
  involved.

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Role of Criminalist gt Investigator/Educator/Studen
t

• A criminalist must perform the duties of an
  investigator, educator, and student.

• Educator
• Educating related professionals as to the
  criminalists capabilities.

• Judges
• Medical Professionals

• Officers/CSI
• Attorneys

• Publish research or case studies for other
  forensic scientists to read.

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Role of Criminalist gt Investigator/Educator/Studen
t

• A criminalist must perform the duties of an
  investigator, educator, and student.

• Student
• New techniques require continuing education

• Read Journals
• Scientific Meetings

• Conduct Research
• Attend Workshops

• Some work requires in depth research on a
  particular topics (example in text ropes)

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Introduction to Evidence

• Reconstruction Evidence

• Associative Evidence
• Class Characteristics
• Identification

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Introduction to Lab Sections

• Biological Evidence
• Trace Evidence
• Fingerprint Evidence
• Impression Evidence
• Firearm and Tool Mark Evidence
• Questioned Documents
• Chemical Evidence (drugs, arson, BAC)