General Forensics Subcommittee

Discipline Overview:

The General Forensics S&P Sub-committee is comprised of those disciplines that do not have their own stand-alone S&P.  These disciplines are Firearms and Toolmarks, Trace Evidence, Drug analysis and identification, Forensic Podiatry, Forensic Odontology, Questioned Document, Forensic Toxicology and Forensic Anthropology.

Qualifications:

Major course of study in the above forensic disciplines,  many of which now require four year degrees.

General Forensics Subcommittee Chair

Ray Jorz, OH, USA

Certification:

What certification is available for examiners in the General Forensics Discipline?

Currently, there is no IAI certification in the General Forensics Discipline. Available certifications include Bloodstain Pattern Examiner Certification, Crime Scene Certification, Footwear Certification, Forensic Art Certification, Forensic Photography Certification, Latent Print Certification and Tenprint Fingerprint Certification. For further information on these certifications, visit the "Certification" tab on the IAI website. Those practicing in the traditional criminalistics disciplines may seek certification through the American board of Criminalistics. Please visit their website at: http://www.criminalistics.com/. There they can find certifications in Comprehensive Criminalistics, Drug Analysis, Forensic Biology, Fire Debris, Paint and Polymers, and college students enrolled at FEPAC accredited universities may take the FSAT offering.

For those seeking certification in Firearms/Toolmarks may seek certification through AFTE (Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners).   Please visit the AFTE website at: http://www.AFTE.org for further information.

For those individuals practicing in the field of Forensic Toxicology, certifications in that discipline are offered by the American Board of Forensic Toxicologists and the Society of Forensic Toxicology.   Please visit the respective websites at:  http://www.abft.org and http://www.soft-tox.org.

Standards:

Because the umbrella of General Forensics covers so many disciplines, it is difficult to name or list all the possible resources. However, some of the organizations that do fall under the umbrella of disciplines of this sub-committee include AAFS, SWGTRACE, SWGDOC, TWIGFX, ASTM, ASCLD, ASCLD/LAB, FQS, and NFSTC. Also, many regional criminalistics organizations such as CAC, CAT, NWAFS, SWAFS, and TIAFT, are included. Most of these organizations have websites that can be accessed via the Internet.

Resources:

For more information about General Forensics, below are some helpful resources:

• AFTE
• American Academy of Forensic Science
• American Board of Forensic Toxicologists
• American Board of Criminalistics
• American Board of Forensic Odontology
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board
• American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners
• Association of Forensic DNA Analysts and Administrators
• Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM)
• California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors
• California Association of Toxicologists
• California Criminalistics Institute
• Canadian Society of Forensic Science
• European Network of Forensic Science Institutes
• FBI Laboratory Division
• FirearmsID.com
• Forensic Advisors International
• Forensic Firearms Instruction
• Forensic Science Society
• International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts
• International Association for Identification
• International Association for Microanalysis
• Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists
• Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists
• Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists
• Society of Forensic Toxicologists
• Southern Association of Forensic Scientists
• Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists
• US Fish and Wildlife site