ASB Newsletter – June 20, 2025

Call for Members ASB Consensus Bodies 

The ASB is currently accepting applications for consensus bodies (Anthropology, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, CSI, DNA, Dogs and Sensors, Firearms and Toolmarks, Footwear and Tire, Forensic Document Examination, Forensic Nursing, Forensic Odontology, Friction Ridge, Mass Fatality Management and Disaster Victim Identification, Medicolegal Death Investigation, Toxicology, Wildlife Forensics). 

Each CB consists of 7 to 25 members and creates and approves by consensus Forensic Standards, Best Practice Recommendations, Guidelines, and Technical Reports. The CBs also consider comments, views, and objections to ballots and resolve all comments received in connection with the development of documents. ASB CBs are open to all materially interested and affected individuals, companies, and organizations. All applications must be completed by August 1, 2025. 

2025 Application for Membership to ASB Consensus Bodies

New Firearms and Toolmarks Standard Published!

• ANSI/ASB Standard 102, Standard for Verification of Source Conclusions in Toolmark Examinations, First Edition, 2025
  This document provides requirements for conducting verifications of source conclusions arising from forensic toolmark comparisons. This document is limited to the process of performing a quality check of the source conclusions reached by the primary firearm and toolmark examiner in a case and does not address or consider other types of technical casework review.

To date, the ASB has published over 120 Standards/Best Practice Recommendations and Technical Reports. All ASB standards can be accessed through the ASB site. 

ASB Documents Open for Public Comment

The ASB encourages all interested parties to provide comments on documents in progress.

The following documents are open for public comment:

• Recirculation* - ASB Standard 039, Standard for Internal Validation of Human Short Tandem Repeat Profiling on Capillary Electrophoresis Platforms (Comment Deadline, July 14, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB BPR 129, Best Practice Recommendations for Internal Validation of Human Short Tandem Repeat Profiling on Capillary Electrophoresis Platforms (Comment Deadline, July 14, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB BPR 193, Best Practice Recommendation for Determining What Scene and Death Locations a Medicolegal Death Investigation Authority Responds to for an Investigation (Comment Deadline, July 21, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 196, Standard for the Documentation and Processing of Shooting Scenes (Comment Deadline, July 21, 2025)
• ASB Standard 199, Standard for Familial DNA Searching (Comment Deadline, July 14, 2025)

* Please note that comments on a recirculation will only be accepted on revised sections of a document, comments made to text not revised from the previous public comment period will not be accepted.

The documents and additional information on the ASB can be accessed through the ASB website  

Project Initiation Notification

The following proposed new documents have recently been approved by the ASB for work:

• ASB BPR 231-202x, Best Practice Recommendation for the Chemical Processing of Footwear and Tire Impression Evidence (new standard)
• ASB Std 233-202x, Standard for the Processing, Collection, and Preservation of Friction Ridge Impressions (new standard)

ASB Standards Included FIU Research Forensic Library

This library is a curated collection of publicly-accessible articles, reports, drug monographs, controlled substance notifications, historical documents, and other material relating to every discipline of the forensic sciences. The Library provides access to groundbreaking research and to historical articles, all available for free. There are currently over 7,600 articles and reports in the library, with more added every day. Visit the Library here! 

Checklists Available on Forensic Standards
These Checklists provide a tool to allow a forensic science service provider to evaluate the level of standard implementation and/or audit conformance to a standard.  Each checklist, provided in Excel, uses a standardized format that also allows flexibility when used. Checklists are in continuous production with more coming soon! Visit the AAFS Standards Resources and Training site to access the Checklists!

AAFS Factsheets on ASB, ASTM, and NFPA Standards Available
The AAFS Standards Factsheets provide a concise summary of each standard and facilitate broader understanding, they also highlight the purpose of a standard, why it is needed, and the benefits of adoption. Factsheets are in continuous production and more are coming soon. Visit the AAFS Standards Resources and Training site for more details!

Standards Webinars on AAFS Connect
AAFS Connect is the hub of digital forensic science content provided by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. AAFS Connect hosts conference workshops, presentations, webinars, educational training, and other resources. Webinars and updates on Forensic Standards are now available in the Standards Videos portion of AAFS Connect, free of charge. Visit the AAFS Educational Webinars page for more details!