Accreditation and Proficiency Testing Subcommittee

Accreditation is a process by which an independent third party verifies compliance with established standards. In forensic science, accreditation standards include criteria for laboratories performing specific types of testing and/or examination, measurement, or calibration activities. Additionally, the implementation of a robust and standardized proficiency testing program, used in conjunction with or independent of accreditation, is a key element of an effective quality management system. Professional certification is the recognition by an independent body that an individual has acquired and demonstrated specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities in the standard practices necessary to execute the duties of their profession. The Accreditation and Proficiency Testing Subcommittee considered the role of accreditation and proficiency test programs as part of a quality management system, forensic science personnel certification and explored issues such as consistency of existing standards and programs, application to technological innovations and challenges associated with implementation.

Accreditation and Proficiency Testing Subcommittee Members

Work Products Archive

Certification
Initial Draft Views on Certification of Forensic Science Practitioners (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #10 – June 20-21, 2016)
Adjudication Summary for Views on Certification of Forensic Science Practitioners
Final Draft Views on Certification of Forensic Science Practitioners
Views on Certification of Forensic Science Practitioners (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #11 - September 12, 2016)

Accreditation of Certification Bodies
Initial Draft Views on Accreditation and Recognition of Forensic Science Certification Bodies (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #10 – June 20-21, 2016)
Adjudication Summary for Views on Accreditation of Forensic Science Certification Bodies
Final Draft Views on Accreditation of Forensic Science Certification Bodies
Views on Accreditation of Forensic Science Certification Bodies (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #11 - September 12, 2016)

Accreditation Program Requirements
Initial Draft Views on Accreditation Program Requirements (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #10 – June 20-21, 2016)
Adjudication Summary for Views on Accreditation Program Requirements
Final Draft Views on Accreditation Program Requirements
Views on Accreditation Program Requirements (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #11 - September 12, 2016)

Universal Accreditation
Initial Draft Recommendation on Universal Accreditation (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #4 – October 28-29, 2014)
Adjudication Summary of Recommendation on Universal Accreditation
Final Draft Work Product on Universal Accreditation
Recommendation on Universal Accreditation (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #6 - April 30 - May 1, 2015; Reconciled at NCFS Meeting #9 - March 21-22, 2016)

Steps to Accreditation
Initial Draft Views on Critical Steps to Accreditation (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #8 – December 7-8, 2015)
Adjudication Summary for Views on Critical Steps to Accreditation
Final Draft Views on Critical Steps to Accreditation
Views on Critical Steps to Accreditation (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #9 - March 21-22, 2016)

Proficiency Testing
Initial Draft Views on Proficiency Testing in Forensic Science (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #8 – December 7-8, 2015)
Adjudication Summary for Views on Proficiency Testing in Forensic Sciences
Final Draft Views on Proficiency Testing in Forensic Sciences
Views on Proficiency Testing in Forensic Science (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #9 - March 21-22, 2016)

Initial Draft Recommendation on Proficiency Testing (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #10 – June 20-21, 2016)
Adjudication for Recommendation on Proficiency Testing in Forensic Sciences
Final Draft Recommendation on Proficiency Testing in Forensic Sciences
Recommendation on Proficiency Testing (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #11 - September 12, 2016)

Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers
Initial Draft Recommendations for the Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers (Introduced at NCFS Meeting #9 – March 21-22, 2016)
Adjudication Summary for Recommendation on Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers
Initial Draft Recommendation on Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers (version 2 - Introduced at NCFS Meeting #11 – September 12-13, 2016)
Adjudication Summary for Recommendation on Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers (version 2)
Final Draft Recommendation on Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers (version 2)
Recommendation on Accreditation of Digital and Multimedia Evidence Forensic Science Service Providers (Adopted at NCFS Meeting #12 - January 9, 2017)