ASB Newsletter – October 10, 2025

The 78th Annual Scientific Conference of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Back to Basics: The Fundamentals of Forensic Science
February 9-14, 2026 - New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Sponsor the AAFS Standards Board (ASB) 10^th Anniversary Reception

Help us celebrate 10 years of the ASB! 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 2026

New ASB Standard Published! 

• ANSI/ASB Standard 124, Minimum Requirements and Recommendations for a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Training Program, First Edition, 2025
  This standard covers the minimum requirements and recommendations for firearm and toolmark examiner training programs. The requirements include the essential skills and knowledge needed to perform successfully in the discipline. Requirements and recommendations include training topics, documentation, casework exercises, and methods for testing competency of the examiner. This document also provides guidance regarding which training elements may be removed in cases where a trainee is being qualified in only one category of testing. This standard does not preclude agencies from adding additional mission-specific requirements.

To date, the ASB has published over 130 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 TR 016, Terminology Related to Friction Ridge Examination (Comment Deadline, October 27, 2025)
  During adjudication of initial public comments, many changes were made to the original technical report. Both substantive and significant reorganization changes were made to provide clarity. The reader should review the Updated Document in its entirety (i.e., consider this as a new document). Comments will be considered for all portions of the Updated Document when commenters follow the ASB process of comment submission.
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 076, Standard for Training and Certification of Canine Detection of Human Remains: Human Remains on Land (Comment Deadline, November 24, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 078, Standard for Training in Forensic Autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) and Y-STR DNA Data Interpretation and Comparison (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• Recirculation * - ASB Std 079, Standard for Training in the use of Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 080, Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Reporting and Review (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 081, Standard for Training in Statistical Calculations Used for Forensic Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA Data (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• ASB TR 084, Presentation of Canine Detection Evidence in Court (Comment Deadline, November 10, 2025)
• ASB Std 086, Standard for Training and Certification of Canine Detection of Illicit Drugs (Comment Deadline, November 24, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 091, Standard for Training in Analysis of Forensic Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA Data (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB TR 097, Terminology Used for Forensic Footwear and Tire Evidence (Comment Deadline, November 10, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 136, Forensic Laboratory Standard for Prevention, Monitoring, and Mitigation of Human DNA Contamination (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• Recirculation* - ASB Std 207, Standard for Collection and Preservation of Document Evidence (Comment Deadline, October 6, 2025)
• ASB BPR 213, Victim Information Center - Best Practice Recommendation for Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities (Comment Deadline, October 13, 2025)
• ASB BPR 232, Best Practice Recommendation for the Development of Criteria for Acceptance of a Request for Friction Ridge Examinations (Comment Deadline, November 10, 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 Std 237-202x, Standard for the Expression of Opinions in Forensic Document Examination (new standard)
• ASB Std 238-202x, Standard for the Examination of Signatures (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!