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Advanced Topics in Forensic Science > Quality > Flashcards

Quality Flashcards

1
Q

What is an ISO?

A

International Organisation for Standardisation
* degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of an object, fulfils requirements

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2
Q

Who are the stakeholders whose needs must be met in forensic science?

A
  • law enforncement
  • defence
  • justice
  • regulator
  • society
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3
Q

What is a standard?

A
  • a document
  • established by consensus
  • approved by a recognised body
  • that provides for common and repeated use, rules, guidance or characteristics for activies or their results
  • aimed at achieving the optimum degree of order in a given context
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4
Q

What are the current standards framework in examination and writing?

A
  • ISO 17025 accreditation (or 17020)
  • criminal procedure rules
  • rules of evidence - admissibility and relevance
  • common-law
  • professional codes - professional bodies (CSOFS) and regulatory bodies (FSR)
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5
Q

What are the three things that standards provide for quality in forensic science?

A
  • scientific
  • legal
  • ethical
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6
Q

How do the standards provide scientific quality?

A
  • scientific method - peer review, test, theory, observation
  • objectivity - unbiased, impartial
  • logic and rationality
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7
Q

How do the standards provide legal quality?

A
  • common law
  • rules of evidence - admissibility and relevance
  • procedural rules
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8
Q

How do the standards provide ethical quality?

A
  • professional codes - professional bodies, forensic science regulator
  • moral principles - same as above
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9
Q

What are the five requirements in the CPS guidance?

A
  1. to comply with the Codes of Coducts and Practice by independent Forensic Science Regulator
  2. Quality Standards and Assurance processes are applied consistently and comply with appropriate ISO stands, UKAS, EU directives
  3. clear communication and interpretation of scientific processes, procedures, strengths, weaknesses and meaning
  4. engage with FSR process associated with proportionate prosecution requirements
  5. to be fully aware of and complient with CPIA Disclosure and Expert Witness obligations
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10
Q

Why are the quality standards important?

A
  • there may be a greater risk that those guilt of crime may escape justice
  • innocent people could be convicted
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11
Q

Case of Adam Scott

A
  • DNA contamination error that was avoidable
  • lack of records meant it was impossible to work out who made the mistake
  • shows why quality matters
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12
Q

Method of analysis

A
  • method is no good, even if it is rooted in the broader scientific method, unless it is constantly applied in the same way every time it was used
  • individuals who have no established approach or who do not use the same approach for each case are not following a reliable process
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13
Q

What are the reasons for an error to do with the method and analyst?

A
  • method is reliable but analyst is not qualified
  • method is reliable, analyst qualified but method not properly applied
  • analyst is qualified but method is unreliable
  • analyst not qualified and method not reliable
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14
Q

What makes a method unreliable?

A
  • inconsistent or non-existent criteria for conclusions
  • not rooted in a scientific process
  • does not account of uncertainty
  • old methods - need to be modified based on new info
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15
Q

What is root cause analysis?

A

systematic process used to identify the underlying causes or factors that contributed to a particular forensic incident or outcome
* aims to uncover the reasons why an event occurred

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16
Q

What caused the quality assurance system to be strengthened in 1978?

A
  • John Preece - convicted of rape and murder in 1973 based on blood match and fibres
  • Dr Clift reported some results which were clearly wrong and reported results selectively
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17
Q

What is ISO 17025?

A

Calibration testing
* first used in 1999 by the ISO and IEC (International Electro-technical Commission)
* competent organisation
* competent personnel
* valid methods
* impartiality

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18
Q

Laboratories that have ISO 17025 have demonstrated what?

A
  • they are technically competent
  • able to produce precise and accurate test and/or calibration data
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19
Q

What are the two main parts of the ISO 17025?

A
  • management requirements
  • technical requirements
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20
Q

What does the management requirements part of ISO 17025 mean?

A

Primarily related to the operational effectiveness of the quality management system within the laboratory
* management systems & documentations
* control of records
* action to address risks and opportunities
* corrective actions
* interal audits
* management review

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21
Q

What does the technical requirements part of ISO 17025 mean?

A

Factors which determine the correctness and reliability of tests calibrations
* technical records
* tests or calibration items
* evaluation of measurment and uncertainty
* ensuring validity of results
* reporting opinions and interpretations
* amendments to reports
* complaints
* nonconforming work

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22
Q

What are the five elements of accreditation standard?

A
  • scope
  • normative references
  • terms and definitions
  • managment requirements
  • technical requirements
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23
Q

What does scope mean in standards?

A
  • to what extend do your lab activities extend
  • if a lab intends to extend its scope, a new audit will be required
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24
Q

What does normative references mean?

A

Rules that are prescribed by:
* customers
* regulations
* normative documents - ISO/IEC Guide 99 (basic and general concepts and associated terms), ISO/IEC 17000 (vocab and general principles)

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25
Q

What does terms and definitions mean?

A
  • standardised vocab
  • ISO and IEC maintain terminological dtabased to use in standardisation
26
Q

What is accreditation?

A
  • a voluntary, third-party reviewed process
  • laboratories quality management system is thoroughly evaluated on a regular basis to ensure continued technical competence and compliance with ISO/IEC 17025
27
Q

What does accreditation require?

A
  • regular audits
  • lab is expected to maintain its knowledge (continuing career developement)
  • ISO 17025 requires continual improvement
28
Q

What is certification?

A

process by which a third party gives written assurance that a product, system or person conforms to the specified requirements

29
Q

Define accreditation

A

full recognition by an accreditation authority to an organisation which carries out a specific service in accordance to the standards and technical regulations as described in the scope of accreditation

30
Q

Who are UKAS?

A
  • sole national accreditation body recognised by the British Government
  • assess the competence of organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration
31
Q

What is a quality management system?

A

A system by which: an organismation aims to reduce and eliminate non-conformance to specifications standards and customer expectations in the most cost-effective and efficient manner

32
Q

What does SOP stand for?

A

Standard Operting Procedure

33
Q

What is proficiency testing?

A

An assessment of the performance of laboratory personnel using samples where sources are known to the proficiency test administrator but unknown to the examinee

34
Q

What is the purpose of proficiency testing?

A
  • measure individual performance
  • provide demonstrative evidence of each examiners ability
35
Q

What are the three types of proficiency testing?

A
  • internal
  • external
  • blind
36
Q

What is external proficiency testing?

A

the use of commercially prepared external proficiency tests
* ensures the examiner is compared against the manufacturers validated results

37
Q

What is blind proficiency testing?

A
  • verify the quality of work without the scientists knowledge
  • generate mock evidence and then assign it is a regular case
  • case examiner may never know they did a blind test unless the quality is below standard
38
Q

What is double blind proficiency testing?

A
  • another agency submits mock evidence as if it were a regular case to another agency
  • used to evaluate the performance of the individuals completing the case and the agency’s overall performance
39
Q

What is a type 1 error?

A

False positive
* potentially incriminating
* report a positive result when the true result is negative

40
Q

What is a type 2 error?

A

False negative
* person is falsely exonerated
* reporting as negative when true result is positive

41
Q

What does IEC stand for?

A

International Electro-technical Commission

42
Q

What are some reasons why a test result may show negative and show the importance of controls?

in relation to blood samples

A
  • the stain isnt blood
  • stain is blood but reagents are poor quality
  • inhibitor
43
Q

What is ISO/IEC 17020?

A
  • international standard for the accreditation of crime scene examination
  • for organisations carrying out inspection activities
  • deemed more appropriate than ISO/IEC 17025
  • inspection bodies and police crime units
44
Q

What is the forensic science regulator responsible for?

A
  • standards that apply to national forensic intelligence databases
  • identifying the requirement for new and improved quality standards
  • providing advice and guidance to ministers, CJS organisations, and FSPs to help them demonstrate compliance with common standards
  • management of complaints or referrals about standards of forensic science
45
Q

What is ISO 9001?

A
  • standard for business processes
46
Q

What is ISO 17043?

A
  • associated with the operation and management proficiency testing schemes
47
Q

What is ISO 18385?

A
  • standard for minimising the risk of human DNA contamination in products used to collect, store and analyse biological material for forensic purposes
48
Q

Why is the ISO 18385 important?

A
  • Phantom of Heilbronn
  • looking for a woman for 15 years in connection to 6 murders
  • DNA was actually from a woman who manufactured the swabs
49
Q

What is ISO 14644?

A
  • applies to clean rooms
50
Q

R v Smith

A
  • issues around training and quality of fingerprint experts, quality standards and the presentation of fingerprint evidence at court
  • no notes made during examination or of reasons for conclusions
  • damning conclusions were drawn in the absence of any contemporaneous notes
51
Q

What is the 16 Point Standard?

A
  • adopted in 1953
  • a fingerprint identification was certain with less than 16 points of similarity
  • changed to non-numerical standard from 2001
52
Q

From 2001 what was the accepted practice for fingerprint identification?

A

identified by a fingerprint officer (who may or may not be an expert), then to be checked by two others who are qualified experts

53
Q

Why do we need CPD (continuing career development)?

A
  • maintenance of skills and knowledge
  • basic expectation
  • any learning activity which promotes the development of knowledge and skills applicable to the role
  • provides direct route into competent practice
54
Q

What is ACE-V?

A

analysis, comparision, evaluation and verification

55
Q

The Mayfield case

A
  • false positive error (type 1)
  • falsely accused of terrorism because his fingerprint was found
56
Q

Cameron Todd Willingham case

A
  • put to death for suspected arson
  • unreliable fire investigation - relying on outdated and unscientific methods
  • lack of expertise - investigators and experts lacked proper training in fire investigations, relied on subjective interpretations
  • suppressed evidence
  • inadequate defence
57
Q

What is streamlined forensic reporting?

A

Takes a proportionate approach to forensic evidence through the preparation of short abbreviated reports detailing the key forensic findings that the prosecution intend to rely on

58
Q

What is said to have potentially bias the examination of Brandon Mayfield?

A

contextual information

59
Q

The Mayfield case is an example of what type of error?

A

false positive

60
Q

What is automated fingerprint technology called?

A

AFIS

Advanced Topics in Forensic Science (6 decks)

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