NIST will Host a Workshop on the Scientific Foundation Review of Footwear Impression Examination

The entrance sign at NIST's Gaithersburg campus. Credit: J. Stoughton/NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has begun work on a new Scientific Foundation Review for footwear impression examination and will hold a workshop on this review at the 2023 International Association for Identification (IAI) Annual International Forensic Educational Conference.

The IAI Conference will be held Aug. 20-26 in National Harbor, Maryland, and the NIST-hosted workshop, “Footwear Impression Examination: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review,”  will take place Aug. 25 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. EDT.

NIST Scientific Foundation Reviews document and evaluate the scientific basis for forensic science methods and practices. These reviews focus on the published scientific literature and other relevant sources of data that can provide information on questions of reliability. To date, NIST has begun or completed reviews on DNA mixture interpretation, digital evidence, bitemark analysis and firearms examination.

The workshop at the IAI Conference will explore key questions, premises and knowledge gaps in forensic footwear examination to inform a Scientific Foundation Review of the practice. Participants will hear about progress and plans for this review and can provide feedback on the literature gathered and identified claims for the field. This workshop is part of a study that will culminate with a public report from NIST regarding scientific foundations for performing forensic footwear examinations.

The workshop will be led by Kelly Sauerwein, a physical scientist with the Forensic Science Research Program in the NIST Special Programs Office, and John Butler, a NIST Fellow and Special Assistant to the Director for Forensic Science in the NIST Special Programs Office.

For questions about the workshop or information on potential travel support, contact Sauerwein at kelly.sauerwein@nist.gov.

For more information about NIST Scientific Foundation Reviews, go to https://www.nist.gov/forensic-science/interdisciplinary-topics/scientific-foundation-reviews.

For more information about the 2023 IAI Conference, visit https://na.eventscloud.com/ehome/107thiaiconf/1202792/.

NIST Finalizes Report of Forensic Bitemark Analysis

Illustration of a typical human dentition viewed in standard anatomical position. Credit: K. Sauerwein/NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized the report Bitemark Analysis: A NIST Scientific Review.

The report details the findings from a NIST review of the scientific foundations of bitemark analysis, a forensic technique used to compare the marks on the skin of a biting victim with the teeth of a potential biter.

Following a short introduction on how the review was conducted, the report includes chapters on:

  • Background information on bitemark analysis, including the principles and practices involved in bitemark analysis and comparison.
  • Data and information sources used in the review and how they were located.
  • Important factors that influence the reliability of bitemark analysis.
  • Thoughts on future directions of bitemark analysis.

A draft report was first published in October 2022 and was open for public comments through Dec. 12, 2022. The finalized report includes minor updates based on public comments received.

Supplemental information is available, including the October 2019 CSAFE Bitemark Thinkshop Report. The Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) hosted a NIST-funded meeting in 2019 where forensic dentists, researchers, statisticians, lawyers and other experts addressed scientific questions about bitemark analysis. The meeting summary was written by Alicia Carriquiry, CSAFE director, and Hal Stern, CSAFE co-director, and helped to inform the NIST scientific review.

NIST hosted a three-hour webinar to discuss the draft report and its finding on Oct. 27, 2022. A recording of the webinar is available at https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2022/10/webinar-bitemark-analysis-nist-scientific-foundation-review.

More details about the report can be found at https://www.nist.gov/spo/forensic-science-program/bitemark-analysis-nist-scientific-foundation-review.

OSAC Releases Report on the 2022 Registry Implementation Survey

OSAC Registry Implementation Survey: 2022 Report

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) released its 2022 Registry Implementation Survey results. The report provides a detailed look at the implementation status of the 95 standards posted on the OSAC Registry through June 2022.

The survey is designed to help OSAC better understand how the standards on the OSAC Registry are being used, the challenges around standards implementation and what support is needed to improve it.

The report includes several key takeaways from the survey, including that 128 out of 177 survey respondents reported that their organization had fully or partially implemented one standard on the OSAC registry. Also, of the 95 standards included in the survey, 94 are being implemented.

The OSAC Registry Implementation Survey: 2022 Report is available at https://www.nist.gov/osac/osac-registry-implementation-survey.

The OSAC Registry is a repository of published and proposed standards for forensic science that define best define best practices, standard protocols and other guidance to ensure the results of forensic analysis are valid, reliable and reproducible. For more information about the OSAC Registry, visit https://www.nist.gov/osac/osac-registry.

From page 11 of the OSAC Registry Implementation Survey: 2022 Report:

Priority for Implementing Standards: 2021 & 2022 Comparison
According to the 177 respondents to the 2022 survey, implementation was seen as a higher priority compared to the 155 respondents in the 2021 survey.

Click on image to enlarge. Figure 6. Priority for standards implementation: Comparison between the 2021 and 2022 OSAC Registry Implementation Surveys.
Click on image to enlarge. Figure 6. Priority for standards implementation: Comparison between the 2021 and 2022 OSAC Registry Implementation Surveys.

NIST Seeks Public Comments on Draft Report of Forensic Bitemark Analysis

Illustration of a typical human dentition viewed in standard anatomical position. Credit: K. Sauerwein/NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published Bitemark Analysis: A NIST Scientific Review. The draft report will be open for public comments through Dec. 12, 2022.

The report details the findings from a NIST review of the scientific foundations of bitemark analysis, a forensic technique used to compare the marks on the skin of a biting victim with the teeth of a potential biter.

There were several key takeaways identified as part of the scientific review, including one that states that bitemark analysis is not supported by sufficient data:

Forensic bitemark analysis lacks a sufficient scientific foundation because the three key premises of the field are not supported by the data. First, human anterior dental patterns have not been shown to be unique at the individual level. Second, those patterns are not accurately transferred to human skin consistently. Third, it has not been shown that defining characteristics of those patterns can be accurately analyzed to exclude or not exclude individuals as the source of a bitemark.

The Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) hosted a NIST-funded meeting in 2019 where forensic dentists, researchers, statisticians, lawyers and other experts addressed scientific questions around bitemark analysis. A meeting summary was written by Alicia Carriquiry, CSAFE director, and Hal Stern, CSAFE co-director. The CSAFE Bitemark Thinkshop Report provided information for the NIST review and has been published as a supplement.

NIST hosted a three-hour webinar on Oct. 27 to discuss the draft report and its findings. A recording of the webinar will be posted soon on the NIST website. For more information, visit https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2022/10/webinar-bitemark-analysis-nist-scientific-foundation-review.

Read the NIST news release on the report at https://www.nist.gov/spo/forensic-science-program/bitemark-analysis-nist-scientific-foundation-review.

NIST Webinar will Discuss the Scientific Foundation Review on Bitemark Analysis

The entrance sign at NIST's Gaithersburg campus. Credit: J. Stoughton/NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host a webinar to discuss its latest Scientific Foundation Review on bitemark analysis. The webinar will be held Oct. 27 from 1–3 p.m. EDT.

NIST Scientific Foundation Reviews document and evaluate the scientific basis for forensic science methods and practices. These reviews focus on the published scientific literature and other relevant sources of data that can provide information on questions of reliability. To date, NIST has begun foundation reviews on DNA mixture interpretation, digital evidence, bitemark analysis, and firearms examination.

The upcoming webinar will review the contents and findings in a draft report, Bitemark Analysis: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review,  and provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions. The draft report will be open for public comment through Dec. 12, 2022. The authors will consider all comments submitted before publishing a final version of the report. For more information

The Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) hosted a workshop in 2019 where forensic dentists, researchers, statisticians, lawyers and other experts addressed scientific questions around bitemark analysis. A summary of the workshop was written by Alicia Carriquiry, CSAFE director, and Hal Stern, CSAFE co-director. It provided information for the NIST review and has been published as a supplement to it.

To register for the webinar, visit https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2022/10/webinar-bitemark-analysis-nist-scientific-foundation-review.

For more information about NIST scientific foundation reviews, go to https://www.nist.gov/forensic-science/interdisciplinary-topics/scientific-foundation-reviews.

Registration is Open for Forensics@NIST 2022

The entrance sign at NIST's Gaithersburg campus. Credit: J. Stoughton/NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced the dates for its annual Forensics@NIST. The virtual event will be held Nov. 8–10, 2022.

Forensics@NIST will feature presentations from NIST scientists on how they are using advanced methods in metrology, computer science and statistics to strengthen forensic science. The topics to be covered are:

  • drugs/toxins
  • statistical methods in forensic science
  • firearms and toolmarks
  • forensic genetics
  • trace
  • digital and multimedia
  • biometrics

As a NIST Center of Excellence, the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) will present on Nov. 10 from 3–4:30 p.m. EST. CSAFE researchers will provide an overview of the CSAFE resources available to the forensic science community and give updates on firearms and toolmarks, bloodstain pattern and handwriting analysis projects.

  • CSAFE Overview

    Presenter: Alicia Carriquiry, CSAFE director and Distinguished Professor and President’s Chair in Statistics at Iowa State University
  • CSAFE Firearms and Toolmarks Analysis

    Presenter: Maria Cuellar, assistant professor of criminology at the University of Pennsylvania
  • CSAFE Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

    Presenter: Tong Zou, graduate student in statistics at the University of California, Irvine
  • CSAFE Handwriting Analysis

    Presenter: Danica Ommen, assistant professor of statistics at Iowa State University
  • CSAFE Q&A

    Presenters: Carriquiry, Cuellar, Zou and Ommen

NIST will also hold optional workshops on Nov. 14–15, 2022. Each workshop is limited to 175 attendees, and registrations will be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. Attendees must attend the main sessions on Nov. 9–10 to register for a workshop. The list of workshops is below:

  • How It’s Made: NIST Forensic DNA Reference Materials
  • NIST 2022 Forensic Cannabis Workshop
  • Mass Spectral Interpretation – Tips and Tools for GC-EI-MS and High-Resolution MS Data
  • Process Mapping
  • Application & Implementation of 3D Technology, Algorithms, and Statistics for Forensic Firearm and Toolmark Analysis

For more information or to register, visit https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2022/11/forensicsnist-2022.

OSAC Public Update Meeting Set for Sept. 13

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science will host its annual Public Update Meeting on Sept. 13, 2022, from 1–4:30 p.m. EDT. Attendees will learn how OSAC is making an impact on the forensic science community through standards.

The virtual meeting will feature presentations from the seven chairs of OSAC’s Scientific Area Committees and the chair of the Forensic Science Standards Board. Each presenter will describe their committee’s activities, including the latest standards actions, research gaps, challenges being addressed and priorities for the coming year.

There is no fee to attend, but registration is required. The meeting agenda and registration information are available at https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2022/09/organization-scientific-area-committees-forensic-science-osac-public.

The OSAC works to strengthen the nation’s use of forensic science by facilitating the development of scientifically sound forensic science standards and by promoting the use of those standards by the forensic science community. OSAC has over 500 members and 275 affiliates that work together to draft and evaluate forensic science standards through a transparent, consensus-based process that allows for participation and comment by all stakeholders. For more information about OSAC and its programs, visit https://www.nist.gov/osac.

Two New Forensic Firearm Examination Standards Added to the OSAC Registry of Approved Standards

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has placed two new standards covering firearm and toolmark analysis on its Registry of Approved Standards. According to a recent news release, these new standards provide guidance on implementing 3D technologies in forensic labs.

The new standards are:

The new release noted that researchers have been developing new methods that use 3D surface scanning microscopes to produce 3D models of the bullets, and computer algorithms can then compare the microscopic features of the two virtual bullets to measure how similar they are.

“These standards give labs guidance on purchasing and setting up a 3D system, validating it to ensure that it produces accurate results, and implementing it into their workflow,” said Erica Lawton, a firearms examiner at the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences who, as the chair of OSAC’s Firearms and Toolmarks Subcommittee, helped guide the new standards through the approval process.

According to the news release, a benefit of using a 3D system for comparing the surface features of two bullets or cartridge cases is that the algorithm generates a numerical score that describes how closely the two surfaces match. “That match statistic expresses the amount of uncertainty in the analysis, and police investigators, jurors and others can use it when weighing the evidence. With the traditional method, an expert can only give a subjective opinion as to whether two bullets or cartridge cases were fired from the same gun. They cannot provide a match statistic,” stated the news release.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) administers OSAC as part of its larger Forensic Science Program, which works to strengthen forensic science through advanced research and improved standards. NIST also supports laboratory efforts to implement standards on the OSAC registry via a cooperative agreement with the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. For more information on OSAC’s role in the standards development process, visit the OSAC website.

The Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE), a NIST Center of Excellence, is developing statistical and scientific foundations for assessing and matching firearms and toolmarks. Learn more about CSAFE’s work in this area at https://forensicstats.org/firearms-and-toolmark-analysis/.

NIST Updates Software Reference Library

Software files can be identified by a sort of electronic fingerprint called a hash. The NSRL dataset update makes it easy to separate hashes indicating run-of-the-mill files from those that might contain incriminating evidence, making investigative work easier. Credit: N. Hanacek/NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced an update to the National Software Reference Library. The expanded, more searchable database will make it easier to sift through seized computers, phones and other electronic equipment.

The database plays a frequent role in criminal investigations involving electronic files, which can be evidence of wrongdoing. According to the NIST news release, “In the first major update to the NSRL in two decades, NIST has increased the number and type of records in the database to reflect the widening variety of software files that law enforcement might encounter on a device. The agency has also changed the format of the records to make the NSRL more searchable.”

NIST said that criminal and civil investigations frequently involve digital evidence in the form of software and files from seized computers and phones. Investigators need a way to filter out the large quantities of data irrelevant to the investigation so they can focus on finding relevant evidence.

The news release stated, “The update comes at a time when investigators must contend with a rapidly expanding universe of software, most of which produces numerous files that are stored in memory. Each of these files can be identified by a sort of electronic fingerprint called a hash, which is the key to the sifting process. The sophistication of the sifting process can vary depending on the type of investigation being performed.”

NIST reported that the NSRL’s reference dataset doubled from half a billion hash records in August 2019 to more than a billion in March 2022.

The new release notes why the dataset is important to digital forensic labs: “This growth makes the NSRL a vitally important tool for digital forensics labs, which specialize in this sort of file review. Such work has become a crucial part of investigations: There are about 11,000 digital forensics labs in the United States (compared with about 400 crime labs).”

The previous database version dates back 20 years, and while searching was possible, it was cumbersome. The new NSRL update will make it easier for users to create custom filters to sort through files and find what they need for a particular investigation.

The dataset and more information on the update are available at https://www.nist.gov/itl/ssd/software-quality-group/national-software-reference-library-nsrl.

The Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE), a NIST Center of Excellence, conducts research addressing the need for forensic tools and methods for digital evidence. Learn more about this research at https://forensicstats.org/digital-evidence/.

NIJ Announces New Forensic Science Strategic Research Plan for 2022–2026

NIJ Forensic Science Strategic Research Plan 2022-2026

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences has published its latest four-year Forensic Science Strategic Research Plan.

The plan focuses on improving the quality and practice of forensic science through innovative solutions that support research and development, testing and evaluation, technology, and information exchange.

As stated in the plan, “NIJ developed this Forensic Science Strategic Research Plan to communicate its research agenda and advance its forensic science research mission. The strategic priorities and objectives outlined in this plan closely parallel the opportunities and challenges faced by the forensic science community.”

NIJ identified five strategic research priorities:

Each priority includes a comprehensive set of objectives and action items.

According to the NIJ, the strategic research plan should interest many stakeholders, including crime laboratory professionals, researchers and technology developers, the legal community, and policymakers.

The Forensic Science Strategic Research plan is available to download at https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/forensic-sciences-strategic-research-plan-2022-2026.