Quality Standards in Forensic Science

Question 1

What is ISO 17025?

Answer 1

• ISO 17025 is the standard for calibration testing laboratories around the world.
• Laboratories that are awarded this international standard have shown that:
  
  • They are technically competent.
  • They are able to produce precise and accurate test and/or calibration data.

Question 2

What is the difference between accreditation and certification?

Answer 2

Accreditation: recognition by an accreditation authority to the technical and organisational competence of an organisation to carry out a specific service in accordance to standards and technical regulations described in the accreditation.

Certification: A third party gives written assurance that a product, process, system or person conforms to the specified requirement.

Question 3

Who are UKAS?

Answer 3

• UKAS are the sole national accreditation body recognised by the British government.
• The assess the competence of organisations that provide:
  
  • Certification
  • Testing
  • Calibration
  • Inspection

Question 4

What is proficiency testing?

Answer 4

Proficiency testing is where the performance of the laboratory personnel are assessed using samples where sources are known to the examiner but unknown to the examinee.

The purpose is to:

• Measure individual performance
• Provide administrative evidence of each examiner’s ability.

Question 5

What is a blind proficiency test?

Answer 5

• A blind proficiency test verifies the quality of work without the scientist’s knowledge.
• The agency may generate mock evidence and then assign it as a regular case.
• The case examiner may never know that he or she worked blind proficiency test unless the quality of the work produced was below standard.

Question 6

What is a double-blind proficiency test?

Answer 6

Double blind proficiency testing is where:

• Another agency submits mock evidence to another agency.
• This is used to evaluate the performance of the individuals completing the case and the agency’s overall performance within respect to that case.

Question 7

What is a type 1 error, and what is a type 2 error?

Answer 7

Type 1 error: A false positive

• We might report a positive result where, in fact the true result is negative.
• This may potentially incriminate the innocent.

Type 2 error: a false negative:

• Reporting a result as negative when in fact it is positive.
• Whereby a person would be falsely exonerated.

Question 8

What is the Forensic Science Regulator responsible for?

Answer 8

• Producing standards that apply to national forensic intelligence databases
• Identifying the requirement for new and improved quality standards.
• Providing advice to the CJS and Forensic Science Providers (FSPs) to help demonstrate compliance with common standards.
• Ensure arrangements exist to monitor the standards, including management of complaints/referrals about standards of forensic science.

Question 9

What is ISO 17020?

Answer 9

• ISO 17020 has been adopted for the accreditation of Crime Scene Examination
• It is the International Standard for organisations carrying out inspection activities.
• More appropriate than 17025 for crime scene examinations.
• It covers examination strategies, scene examinations and the interpretation of a crime scene.

Question 10

What is ISO 9001?

Answer 10

• The standard for quality management of businesses.
• Sometimes referred as the standard for business processes
• Applies to processes that creating the control the products and services and organisation supplies in order to fulfil customer quality requirements
• Sometimes aligned to fingerprint processes.

Question 11

What is ISO 17043?

Answer 11

• ISO 17043 is associated with the operation and management of proficiency testing providers and schemes

Question 12

What is ISO 18385?

Answer 12

• A standard for minimising risk of human DNA contamination in products used to collect, store and analyse biological material for forensic purposes.
• Provides manufacturing requirements for forensic products and specifies acceptable methods and pass/fail criteria for DNA contamination testing.
• Potentially all standards could be analysed to low template standards.

Question 13

What is ISO 14644?

Answer 13

• A standard which applies to clean rooms.

Question 14

What is CPD?

Answer 14

• CPD = continuing professional development.
• It is recognised that maintenance of skills and knowledge of the time and place are an important part in ensuring standards are met.
• Refers to any learning activity which promotes development of knowledge and skills applicable to one’s role.
• CPD provides direct route into competence practice because of necessity to keep up-to-date with skills and knowledge.