November 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 three SDO-published standards have been added to the OSAC Registry (effective November 3, 2026):
- ANSI/ASB Standard 102, Standard for Verification of Source Conclusions in Toolmark Examinations. 2025. 1st Ed.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 105, Minimum Education Requirements for Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Trainees. 2025. 2nd Ed.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 124, Minimum Requirements and Recommendations for a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Training Program. 2025. 1st Ed.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2021-N-0012, Requirements and Recommendations for a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Training Program, and will replace it on the OSAC Registry. OSAC 2021-N-0012 will be moved to the Registry archive.
Visit the OSAC Registry to view the 266 forensic science standards currently available.
Standards Open for Comment
Open for Comment at OSAC
The following OSAC Proposed Standards are being considered for the OSAC Registry and are open for comment at OSAC until November 30, 2026:
Open for Comment at SDOs
The following SDOs are accepting public comments on documents:
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ASB has two documents open for public comment in the areas of firearms and toolmarks (comment deadline November 9) and crime scene investigation (comment deadline November 16).
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ASTM has two documents open for comment in the areas of gunshot residue and video/imaging technology and analysis (comment deadlines November 16).
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.
ASB:
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ANSI/ASB Standard 186, Standard for Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses. 2026. 1st Ed.
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NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2021-S-0021, Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses - General Protocol, Protocol Verification, and Case Record Requirements, currently on the OSAC Registry. This SDO-published version will go through the Registry management process to replace the OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry.
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ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 206, Best Practice Recommendation for Mass Fatality Incident Management. 2026. 1st Ed.
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NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2022-N-0020, Standard for Mass Fatality Incident Management, currently on the OSAC Registry. This SDO-published version will go through the Registry management process to replace the OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry.
ASTM:
- ANSI/ASTM E1732-26a Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science (revision of ANSI/ASTM E1732-26).
- ANSI/ASTM E1968-26 Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Cocaine (revision of E1968-19).
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2019 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E1969-26 Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Methamphetamine and Amphetamine (revision of ANSI/ASTM E1969-19).
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2019 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E2125-26 Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Phencyclidine and Its Analogues (revision of ANSI/ASTM E2125-19).
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2019 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E2916-26 Standard Terminology for Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examination (revision of ANSI/ASTM E2916-19e2).
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2019e2 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E3189-26 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Static Headspace Concentration onto an Adsorbent Tube (revision of ANSI/ASTM E3189-19 (R2025)).
- NOTE: This will go through the Registry management process to replace the 2019 version, which is currently on the OSAC Registry.
- ANSI/ASTM E3407-26 Standard Classification for Ignitable Liquids Encountered in Fire Debris Analysis (revision of ANSI/ASTM E3407-25).
Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards
A Project Initiation Notification (PINS) was published in the ANSI Standards Action, which will begin an SDO's work on the following standards.
ASB:
- ASB Standard 029-xx, Standard for Report Writing in Wildlife Forensics: Morphology and Genetics (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 029-2019, currently on the OSAC Registry). This standard provides the requirements for written reports of wildlife forensic examinations, for use in legal proceedings. Requirements for both genetic and morphological examination reports are covered in this standard (PINS published in the October 9, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASB Standard 230-xx, Standard for the Resolution of Conflicts in Toolmark Value Determinations and Source Conclusions (new standard). This document provides requirements and 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. This document also provides examples of conflicting value determinations, conflicting source conclusions, and documentation and reporting of conflicts and their resolutions (PINS published in the October 16, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- 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.
ASTM:
- ASTM WK100880-202x, Standard Practice for Decision-Point Analysis of Seized Drugs (new standard). This practice covers the application of a decision-point to the analysis of seized drugs. Decision-point analysis is used to differentiate samples relative to a specified threshold or cutoff value. This practice covers the minimum requirements for decision-point establishment, evaluation of measurement uncertainty, method validation, quality control, interpretation of results, and reporting (PINS published in the October 16, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASTM WK100898-202x, Standard Specification for Forensic Photographic Scales Used for Dimensional Reference in Imaging (new standard). This specification will establish requirements for forensic photographic scales used as dimensional reference artifacts in forensic imaging. Requirements may address dimensional accuracy, marking and fiducial characteristics, materials, durability, identification, and verification. This specification does not address image acquisition, photographic technique, photogrammetric analysis, or the interpretation of image-derived measurements (PINS published in the October 16, 2026 ANSI Standards Action).
- ASTM WK100899-202x, Standard Practice for Color Management in Forensic Imaging (new standard). This practice will provide procedures for white balance and monitor calibration used in forensic imaging. It will address color management considerations for image acquisition, image processing, and image display. This practice does not establish the accuracy or interpretation of color-related forensic conclusions (PINS published in the October 16, 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 September 2026 RaDAR Newsletter to see the recent findings.
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Now Available On Demand: Demystifying ISO 21043 Webinar Series
ISO 21043 series establishes international standards for forensic science, covering forensic terminology and the forensic process from crime scene to courtroom. This four-part webinar series introduces each document, exploring how the standards were developed and how they may fit into forensic operations across the United States.
What's in the series:
- Webinar 1: Introduction and Overview with Jody M. Wolf, PhD
- Webinar 2: ISO 21043 Part 1 (Vocabulary), Part 2 (Recognition, Recording, Collecting, Transport and Storage of Items), and Part 3 (Analysis) with Laurel Farrell and Erin Forry
- Webinar 3: ISO 21043 Part 4 (Interpretation) with Michael J. Salyards, PhD, John H. Grassel, MS, and John Paul Jones II, MBA
- Webinar 4: ISO 21043 Part 5 (Reporting) with Pamela Sale, BS, ANAB
Access each of the webinars for free from the AAFS website.
Missed any of our previous issues? Check them out here:
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