ASB Newsletter – November 6, 2026

79^th AAFS Annual Scientific Conference – Orlando, Florida
Around the World and Beyond
February 15-20, 2027 - Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel

Join your Colleagues Who Have Already Contributed and Sponsor the AAFS Standards Board (ASB) Reception
With a contribution of $2,000 or more, sponsors are offered the opportunity to host a table and attend the reception. This event offers a valuable two-hour window for our members to connect with each other-and, importantly, with you. If you prefer to support the reception without setting up a table, contributions of $500 or more will be acknowledged with signage recognizing your support of the food and beverages provided during the event (contact tambrosius@aafs.org for more information).

→ Register Now for AAFS 2027

ASB Documents Open for Public Comment

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

The following document is open for public comment:

• ASB BPR 068, Safe Handling of Firearms and Ammunition, Second Edition (Comment Deadline, November 9, 2026)
• ASB Std 120, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of Forensic Toxicological Testing of Blood in Impaired Driving Investigations, Second Edition (Comment Deadline, December 21, 2026)
• ASB Std 121, Standard for the Analytical Scope and Sensitivity of Forensic Toxicological Testing of Urine and Blood in Drug-Facilitated Crime Investigations, Second Edition (Comment Deadline, December 21, 2026)
• ASB Std 226, Standard for Scene Diagramming (Comment Deadline, November 16, 2026)

* 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   

Recently Published Standards from the ASB!

The following documents have recently been approved for publication and are available on the ASB website: 

• ANSI/ASB Standard 186, Standard for Forensic Autosomal STR DNA Statistical Analyses, First Edition, 2026
  This standard provides requirements for the laboratory protocol for performing statistical analyses, including verification and consistent application of the protocol. This document also includes requirements for documentation in the case record of information regarding the statistical calculations. This standard applies to testing performed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of autosomal loci consisting of short tandem repeats (STR). This standard applies only to statistical calculations for sub-source and sub-sub-source levels in the hierarchy of propositions.
• ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 206, Best Practice Recommendation for Mass Fatality Incident Management, First Edition, 2026
  This document provides best practice recommendations on the fundamental management considerations to be addressed in planning for and implementing a comprehensive disaster victim identification (DVI) operation.

To date, the ASB has published over 150 Standards/Best Practice Recommendations and Technical Reports. All ASB standards can be accessed through the ASB site.

Project Initiation Notification

The following proposed document has recently been approved by the ASB for work:

• ASB Std 230-202x, Standard for the Resolution of Conflicts in Toolmark Value Determinations and Source Conclusions 
  PINS response end date of 11/15/2026
• ASB Std 029-202x, Standard for Report Writing in Wildlife Forensics: Morphology and Genetics (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 029-2019)
  PINS response end date of 11/8/2026

Now Available On Demand and Free: Demystifying ISO 21043 Webinar Series

ISO 21043 Parts 1 through 5 are an international set of standards for forensic science, covering forensic terminology and the forensic process from crime scene to courtroom. This four-webinar series introduces all five parts of this set of standards. Speakers share how the documents were developed and how they may fit into forensic operations across the United States. Each webinar offers 1 hour of CE credit.

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: ISO21043 Part 4 (Interpretation) with Michael J. Salyards, PhD, John H. Grassel, MS, and John Paul Jones II, MBA
• Webinar 4: ISO2143 Part 5 (Reporting) with Pamela Sale, BS, ANAB

Watch Now! 

Order Your Very Own ASB 10-year Anniversary Gear!

The ASB now has a Lands End Business Store! Choose your item and Apply Logo to add the special limited time 10-year Anniversary Logo! Visit the Storefront! 

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!