October 2026
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 the development process at standards developing organizations (SDOs).
OSAC Registry Updates
New Standards Added to the Registry
The following four SDO-published standards have been added to the OSAC Registry (effective October 6, 2026):
ASTM:
- ANSI/ASTM E3462-25e1 Standard Guide for Interpretation and Reporting in Forensic Comparisons of Trace Materials.
- NOTE: This will replace the 2025 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry. The 2025 version will be moved to the Registry archive.
ISO:
- ISO 17020:2026 Conformity assessment - Requirements for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspections.
- NOTE: This will replace the 2012 version on the OSAC Registry. The 2012 version will be moved to the Registry archive.
SWGDE :
- SWGDE 18-F-003-2.0 Best Practices for Mobile Device Evidence Collection and Preservation, Handling, and Acquisition.
- SWGDE 18-M-001-2.3 Video and Audio Redaction Guidelines.
Visit the OSAC Registry to view the 264 forensic science standards currently available.
OSAC Registry Implementation Corner
We extend a sincere thank you to all the forensic science service providers who participated in OSAC’s 2026 Open Enrollment event!
Between July 13 and September 18, we received 14 new submissions and 132 survey updates, bringing us to a record-breaking 146 total submissions (surpassing 2025’s record of 129)!
A special shout-out to our 304 OSAC Registry implementers, including the newest from North Dakota and Arkansas, now represented on the map.
Although the 2026 Open Enrollment event has closed, implementation information is welcome year-round! Visit OSAC’s Registry Implementation webpage to submit a survey and join the growing cohort of organizations strengthening forensic science through standards.
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Standards Open for Comment
Open for Comment at OSAC
The following OSAC Proposed Standard is being considered for the OSAC Registry and is open for comment at OSAC until November 2, 2026:
Open for Comment at SDOs
The following SDOs are accepting public comments on documents:
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Academy Standards Board (ASB) has eight documents open for public comment in the areas of human forensic biology/DNA (comment deadline October 12), bloodstain pattern analysis (comment deadline October 12), wildlife forensic biology (comment deadline October 26), dogs & sensors (comment deadline October 26), friction ridge (comment deadline November 2), firearms and toolmarks (comment deadline November 9), and crime scene investigation (comment deadline November 16).
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ASTM has six documents open for comment in the areas of ignitable liquids and explosives (comment deadline October 19), gunshot residue (comment deadlines October 19 and November 16), trace materials (comment deadline of October 19) and video/imaging technology and analysis (comment deadline November 16, 2026).
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 and SDO.
ASB:
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ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 021, Best Practice Recommendation for the Preparation of Test Impressions from Footwear and Tires, 2nd Edition, 2025, ERRATA 1, 2026.
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2019, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 078, Standard for Training in Forensic Autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Data and Y-STR Data Interpretation and Comparison, 1st Edition, 2026.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 081, Standard for Training in Statistical Calculations Used for Forensic Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA Data, 1st Edition, 2026.
ASTM:
- ANSI/ASTM E1732-26 Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science (revision of ANSI/ASTM E1732-25e1).
- ANSI/ASTM E2937-26 Standard Guide for Using Infrared Spectroscopy in Forensic Paint Examinations.
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2018 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E3462-25e1 Standard Guide for Interpretation and Reporting in Forensic Comparisons of Trace Materials.
- NOTE: This was added to the OSAC Registry this month (see above).
- ANSI/ASTM E3510-26a Standard Terminology Relating to Trace Materials Analysis.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2025-N-0017, currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E3521-26 Standard Practice for Forensic Glass Analysis Training Program.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2023-N-0005, currently on the OSAC Registry.
Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards
A Project Initiation Notification (PINS) was published in the ANSI Standards Action, which will begin ASB’s work on the following standards.
- ASB Standard 125-202x, Standard for Organizational and Foundational Components for Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 125-21, currently on the OSAC Registry). This document provides the minimum requirements for the fundamental activities, general procedures, facilities, and personnel that are the basic components of a medicolegal death investigation system. It also provides an overarching description of educational frameworks, operational roles, and processes for the medicolegal death investigation system (PINS published in the September 4, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASB Standard 246-202x, Standard for Retention and Potential Disposition of Long-Term Unidentified Human Remains (new standard). This document provides minimum requirements for the retention and potential disposition of long-term unidentified human remains, for medical examiner/coroners’ offices as well as any other agency that may work with unidentified human remains. Investigation of long-term unidentified human remains and identified unclaimed remains are not addressed in this document (PINS published in the September 4, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASB Standard 044-202x, Standard for the Examination of Documents for Indentations (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 044-19, currently on the OSAC Registry). This standard provides requirements and recommendations for the techniques and procedures used by forensic document examiners for the examination, visualization, evaluation, sourcing, and reporting of indentations on documents (PINS published in the September 25, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASB Standard 019-202x, Standard for Wildlife Forensic Laboratory Practices (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 019-19, currently on the OSAC Registry). This document provides requirements and recommendations for wildlife forensic laboratories. This document covers laboratory practices, evidence handling, and a broad outline for analyst training as well as considerations of taxonomy and reference collections that are specific to wildlife forensic science. It does not include specific training plans for analysts in various subdisciplines. This document is not intended to replace requirements in additional forensic laboratory standards but is instead designed to guide laboratories which are working toward meeting those requirements (PINS published in the October 2, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASB Standard 046-202x, Standard for Wildlife Forensics Validation STR Analysis(revision of ANSI/ASB Std 046-19, currently on the OSAC Registry). This standard provides minimum requirements and recommendations for validating new nuclear STR (short tandem repeat) markers for use in wildlife forensic DNA laboratories where the STR genotyping method has already been validated (PINS published in the October 2, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
Other Forensic Science Standards-Related News & Events
RaDAR Program
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 August 2026 RaDAR Newsletter to see the recent findings.
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Upcoming Events
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Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (MAAFS) and Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (NEAFS) Joint Meeting, October 5-9, 2026, Pocono Mountains, PA.
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Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM) Annual Training Conference, October 13-16, 2026, Kansas City, MO.
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National Association of Forensic Science Boards (NAFSB) Annual Conference, October 13-15, 2026, Milwaukee, WI.
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International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exhibition, October 24-27, Orlando, FL.
Missed any of our previous issues? Check them out here:
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