Dear ASCLD Colleagues,
I hope that you are all staying cool during this last week of July. Lots to share this week so let’s get to it!
Rapid DNA continues to be a hot topic both domestically and internationally. In 2018, the FBI established a task group to investigate the use of this technology on forensic evidence samples. A joint position statement among the Rapid DNA Crime Scene Technology, ENFSI, and SWGDAM was submitted as a Letter to the Editor in FSI:Genetics. Be sure to take the time to read it here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1872497320301228?dgcid=author
Many of us rely on federal grants to operate our laboratories. The ASCLD Advocacy Committee pays close attention to federal legislation and funding. The Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations (CFSO) has a federal budget and appropriations update to share in a special edition newsletter. Scroll down to find the link newsletter below.
The Forensic Research Committee continues to provide useful information for our members. The latest issue of the FRC Bulletin is linked below. The FRC has published a series of executive summaries of recent literature in forensic science based on the proceedings of the 19
th
INTERPOL International Forensic Science Manager’s Symposium. Six executive summaries have been posted on the FRC page on the ASCLD website. These are in the areas of controlled substances, gunshot residue, paint, glass, toxicology, fingermarks, and biology.
The United States Technical Advisory Group (USTAG) will attend the first of a series of virtual meetings with the ISO Technical Committee on Forensic Science (TC 272) this week. TC 272 had to cancel its spring meeting in Denmark due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee will continue to develop ISO standards in analysis, interpretation, and reporting as part of the ISO 21043 series in a virtual platform. The first two parts of this series have been published and are listed on the OSAC Registry.
Lastly, the ASCLD Accreditation Initiative (AAI) has established relationships more labs over the past month or so and will assist them in achieving accreditation. If you know of any laboratories interested in obtaining accreditation and would benefit from some assistance, please point them in the direction of the AAI. If you’re interested in volunteering as a mentor and helping labs achieve accreditation, get in touch with us.
Have a wonderful week!
Be well,
Erin
Erin P. Forry
ASCLD President
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It is with much excitement we announce that our ASCLD Executive Director John A. Byrd has updated his email address to
ExecutiveDirector@ASCLD.org
. This is a much needed change as the new email is more indicative and provides clarity of the title and position within it’s address. Members, we respectfully ask that you update your email contact list with this new and exciting change.
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Weekly News and Resources
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Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations
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Community Research, Newsletters, and Surveys
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ASCLD Forensic Research Committee
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The ASCLD Forensic Research Committee is proud to announce the launch of the Validation and Evaluation Repository. The goal of this activity is share information about important Validations and Evaluations with the forensic science community by compiling a list of unique validations and evaluations conducted by forensic labs and universities. The repository will catalog these efforts and provide the contact information of the people responsible for the work. It is ASCLD’s hope that this listing will foster information sharing, promote communication, and minimize unnecessary or redundant repetition of Validations and Evaluations. For more information about this repository or if you would like to add your Validations or Evaluations to this repository please check out
https://www.ascld.org/validation-evaluation-repository/
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Briggs White recipient for 2020 Kermit Channell is interviewed by ASCLD member and previous Briggs White recipient John Collins in the link below. Please find time to listen to Kermit and his thoughts and insights to leadership and the forensic community. Kermit is the Executive Director of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.
The video can be viewed
here
.
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Forensic Research Committee Bulletin -
July 2020
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The goal of the Laboratories and Educators Alliance Program (LEAP) is to facilitate collaborative research between academia and forensic science laboratories. This joint effort between the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) and the Council of Forensic Science Educators (COFSE) identifies forensic science needs and provides a platform for laboratories, researchers, and students to seek projects aligning with their mutual research capabilities.
Read more...
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Click
HERE to review standards available for comment.
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July 2020 OSAC Standards Bulletin now available, click
HERE
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Webinar Series
New and emerging standards and best practices in forensic biology and DNA testing
July 15, 2020
Part 1: Development and Publication of New Standards and Best Practices – The Process
August 5, 2020
Part 2: Mixture Interpretation Validation and Protocol Development and Verification
September 9, 2020
Part 3: Training Standards Overview
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ASCLD Emerging Issues: Employee Webinar Series (Archived)
Providing training and education to our membership is a core mission for ASCLD. Despite the unfortunate cancellation of our annual symposium this year, the Symposium Planning and Training and Education Committees found a way to bring timely and relevant content that would have been experienced in Denver, to the ASCLD membership.
Through a generous partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence at RTI International, ASCLD presented a three-part webinar series entitled ASCLD Emerging Issues: Employee Wellness. Providing training and education in employee wellness is part of the current ASCLD Strategic Plan. In an already stressful profession, as we adapt and lead through the COVID-19 pandemic, this topic is particularly timely.
In June 2020,
ASCLD Emerging Issues: Employee Wellness
presented the following webinars:
Speakers: Andrew Levin, Jonathan McGrath, Heidi Putney, & Danielle Crimmins
Speaker: Jody Wolf
Speaker: Robert Kirkby
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JusticeTrax 2021 UGM
August 15
th
to August 20
th
, 2021
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ANAB - Upcoming training events
New! ANAB is offering live instructor lead online courses to meet the need for continued learning in light of widespread travel restrictions and the need for social distancing. Each class is offered via WebEx and includes the opportunity for participants to submit questions, as well as interact with the instructor and other participants.
August 3-6, 2020, Live Online
September 15-18, 2020, Washington, D.C.
November 3-6, 2020, Rancho Cordova, CA
July 28-31, 2020, 11 am-5 pm ET, Live Online
August 24-27, 2020, 11 am-5 pm ET, Live Online
October 6-9, 2020, OCME San Francisco, CA
November 16-19, 2020, Tarrant Cty ME Fort Worth, TX
November 17-20, 2020, Washington, D.C.
September 14-17, 2020 (11am-1pm ET), Live Online
December 1-4, 2020 (11am-1pm ET), Live Online
September 14-16, 2020 (2pm-4pm ET), Live Online
November 30-December 2, 2020 (2pm-4pm ET), Live Online
August 4-7, 2020, Live Online
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Crime Lab Minute Sponsors
For More Information, Click the LOGO below:
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A2LA WorkPlace Training (A2LA WPT) is a nonprofit organization established with a vision of being the leading management systems, conformity assessment, and measurement training company in the world. Our mission is to provide independent, world-class training programs that inspire confidence in the quality of service and acceptance of results from organizations.
Be a leader in your industry by building confidence and consistency in your product through A2LA WPT’s broad spectrum of instructor-led and online e-learning training courses. Move ahead of your competition by learning best practices on international standards, quality systems, technical tools, and soft skill
s.
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Donations to ASCLD can now be made online! This is a great way to honor the memory of a forensic colleague, to commemorate a life event for that person who has everything, or to otherwise assist in supporting the tireless efforts of the ASCLD organization in the pursuit of excellence in forensic science management. The donation page can be accessed by clicking
HERE
or by visiting the ASCLD website and clicking on "Donate to ASCLD" under the "Member Site" tab (this donation page is accessible even to non-members). Please consider donating and do share this information with anyone you think might be interested.
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The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
65 Glen Road, Suite 123
Garner, NC 27529
Phone: 919.773.2044
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