May 2025
The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science's Standards Bulletin provides a monthly update on forensic science standards moving through the OSAC Registry approval process and development process at standards developing organizations (SDOs).
OSAC Registry Updates
New standards
The following three standards (one SDO-published and two OSAC Proposed) have been added to the OSAC Registry (effective May 6, 2025):
- ANSI/ASTM E1386-23 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Solvent Extraction.
- OSAC 2023-N-0014, Standard for the Medical Forensic Examination in the Clinical Setting. NOTE: This is the first document from OSAC's Forensic Nursing Subcommittee to be added to the Registry.
- OSAC 2025-N-0002, Standard for Qualifications for Forensic Anthropology Practitioners.
Visit the OSAC Registry webpage to view these and the 230+ forensic science standards on the Registry.
Standards Open for Comment
Open for Comment at OSAC
There are no standards currently open for comment at OSAC.
Open for Comment at SDOs
The following SDOs are accepting public comments on documents:
- The Academy Standards Board (ASB) has six documents open for public comment in the areas of bloodstain pattern analysis (comment deadline May 19); friction ridge, forensic document examination, and dogs & sensors (all with comment deadlines of May 26); and forensic toxicology (comment deadline June 6).
- ASTM has three documents open for comment in the areas of trace evidence (fibers), evidence management, and validation (comment deadlines May 19).
Visit OSAC's Standards Open for Comment webpage to access these documents, as well as the instructions and deadlines for comment submissions.
SDO Updates
New Published Standards
The following standards have recently been published by an SDO.
ASTM:
- ANSI/ASTM E2998-25 Standard Practice for Identification and Classification of Smokeless Powder (revision of ANSI/ASTM E2998-16).
- ANSI/ASTM E2999-25 Standard Test Methods for Analysis of Organic Compounds in Smokeless Powder by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (revision of ANSI/ASTM E2999-17).
- ANSI/ASTM E3406-25e1 Standard Guide for Microspectrophotometry in Forensic Fiber Analysis (revision of ANSI/ASTM E3406-24).
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2022-S-0017, Standard Guide for Microspectrophotometry, currently on the OSAC Registry.
Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards
A Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) was published in the April 11, 2025 and April 25, 2025* ANSI Standards Action. This will begin ASB's work on the following:
- *ASB Best Practice Recommendation 192, Best Practice Recommendation for Peer Review of Medicolegal Death Investigation Reports, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document provides recommendations for peer review of medicolegal death investigation reports and findings. Recommendations for the scope and documentation of peer reviews, and internal/external review options are provided.
- *ASB Standard 223, Standard for Care During Medical Forensic Examinations, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document provides the minimum requirements for the medical forensic examination and care of living patients by licensed health care providers/professionals following suspected or disclosed violence. This standard sets the foundation for medical forensic services that assures care is patient-centered and trauma-informed while preserving the integrity of items that might have evidentiary value.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2023-N-0014, Standard for the Medical Forensic Examination in the Clinical Setting, now on the OSAC Registry.
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ASB Technical Report 224, Technical Report for Task-Relevant Information in Friction Ridge Examination, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document addresses task-relevant and task-irrelevant information for the analysis, comparison, and evaluation phases of friction ridge examinations. It does not address other tasks that friction ridge examiners perform, such as collection, preservation, processing, conducting Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) searches, conflict resolution, and verification; the relevance of information necessary for administrative tasks, accreditation requirements, or reporting of results; or requirements or recommendations for managing exposure to task-irrelevant information in friction ridge examinations.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2023-S-0026, Technical Report for Task-Relevant Information in Friction Ridge Examination, currently on the OSAC Registry.
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ASB Standard 225, Standard for Skeletal Preparation and Sampling in Forensic Anthropology, 202x, 1st Ed. This new standard provides techniques and requirements for documenting, preparing, sampling, and preserving skeletal remains for examination and curation; including limiting or preventing contamination, unnecessary destruction, and/or adverse alteration of the remains.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2021-N-0010, Standard for Skeletal Preparation and Sampling in Forensic Anthropology, currently on the OSAC Registry.
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ASB Standard 226, Standard for Scene Diagramming, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document provides the minimum requirements for when scene diagramming is employed, including manual and electronic measurement, and diagramming methods. Methods of validation, verification, and calibration of measurement equipment are not included in this document.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2023-N-0003, Standard for Diagramming Scenes, currently on the OSAC Registry.
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ASB Standard 227, Standard for the Chemical Testing of Suspected Projectile Impacts for Copper and Lead, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document provides the requirements for application of copper and lead chemical tests for suspected projectile residues, methods for reagent preparation, field processing, interpretation of results, and documentation of suspected projectile impacts by scene investigators. Chemical processing and enhancement of gunshot residue patterns for the purpose of muzzle-to-target distance determinations or wound ballistics are not included in this standard.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2022-S-0036, Standard Method for the Chemical Testing of Suspected Projectile Impacts for Copper and Lead, currently on the OSAC Registry.
- *ASB Standard 229, Standard for the Examination and Comparison of Toolmarks for Source Attribution, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document provides the minimum requirements for the microscopic evaluation, classification, and comparison of toolmarks for source attribution. It also defines the minimum requirements for supporting documentation.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2024-S-0002, Standard Test Method for the Examination and Comparison of Toolmarks for Source Attribution, currently on the OSAC Registry.
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*ASB Best Practice Recommendation 230, Best Practice Recommendation for the Resolution of Conflicts in Toolmark Value Determinations and Source Conclusions, 202x, 1st Ed. This new document provides best practice recommendations for resolving conflicts with toolmark value determinations or source conclusions that may arise between examiners and verifiers at any point during the verification process. It also provides recommendations for, and examples of, conflicting value determinations, conflicting source conclusions, and documentation and reporting of conflicts and their resolutions.
- NOTE: This is OSAC 2023-S-0028, Best Practice Recommendations for the Resolution of Conflicts in Toolmark Value Determinations and Source Conclusions, currently on the OSAC Registry.
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*ASB Guideline 236-202x, Guideline for Conducting Test Method Development, Validation, and Verification in Forensic Toxicology, 202x, 1st Ed. This document provides guidelines and examples for developing, validating, and verifying test methods in conformance with ANSI/ASB Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology, currently on the OSAC Registry.
Withdrawn Standards
The following ASB projects have been withdrawn:
- ASB Best Practice Recommendation 177, Canine Detection of Scent Identification Line-Ups, 202x, 1st Ed.
- ASB Standard 083, Contraband Canine Detection, 202x, 1st Ed.
Other Forensic Science Standards-Related News & Events
Now Available: Informational Scientific Primers for Officers of the Court
NIST’s Forensic Science Program has prepared 17 short primers to help increase the knowledge of Officer of the Court on the components underlying the scientific basis of techniques used by forensic science service providers across the country and what the results of those forensic analysis mean.
Visit the NIST website to learn more about this effort and access the primers.
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RaDAR Newsletter
NIST’s Rapid Drug Analysis and Research (RaDAR) lab provides near real-time insight into the nation’s illicit drug landscape. By analyzing drug samples sent from local, state and federal partners, the lab identifies new compounds appearing in the illegal drug supply that may pose a health and safety threat to users, public health workers and law enforcement.
Check out the latest RaDAR newsletter to see the recent findings.
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