1. Catherine Knutson June 2018
United States Technical Advisory Group (U.S. TAG) ISO/TC 272 Forensic Science
Catherine Knutson
June 2018

2. ISO Technical Committee 272
Established in 2012 to develop standards related to delivery of forensic science services
Intent is for these standards to be used by:
Organizations involved in analysis and/or interpretation of physical evidence for the purpose of presenting conclusion to a court of law
Manufacturers of products used in forensic science
Does not include general quality management standards
Standards made in TC 272 are not designed to replace ISO or ISO 17020
May be used in conjunction to these quality management standards
Over technical committees
Over 22,000 ISO standards published to date.
Different TCs for different categories. Example: TC 96 makes standards on cranes; TC 148 sewing machines; ISO/CASCO makes 17025

3. Sampling of ISO Technical Committees

4. ISO Technical Committee 272
Blue countries are participating (23) and orange are observing (18); Dark blue is Australia who serves as Secretariat
ISO - Bring together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International Standards.
“when the world agrees” - slogan from the ISO website – think of the challenges…

5. Published Standards

6. TC 272 Working Groups & Projects
Refer to Path of a Document Slide to explain NP vs FDIS

7. Next Up for Publication

8. TC 272 Working Groups & Projects
High workload for the TC at this point in time; leverage use of Subject Matter Experts; US stays actively engaged as the current work products progress
analysis standard content:
Acceptance of physical material received for examination
Item continuity
Recording physical material received for examination
Presumptive and preliminary tests
Order of examination
Sampling
Analysis and examination of physical material
Identification of physical material by instrumental analysis
Identification of physical material using comparative examination
Linking an effect to a particular item
Recording the results of observations, analyses and comparisons
Reporting results
reporting standard content:
Case file review
Report format
Issue and control of reports
Report contents
Report review
Testimony and testimony review
interpretation standard content:
Transforming data into information
Review of information
Interpretation of information
Formulating an opinion
Review of opinions
Reducing bias
Error

9. Seed Documents

10. Seed Documents
NIST TAG Member – nexus to the information coming out of OSAC for consideration as either seed documents or documents for consideration during the development of the standards. This facilitates US interests integration

11. US TAG Administrator: American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD)
Assn of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)
Assn of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM)
ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB)
Defense Forensic and Biometrics Agency (DFBA)
US Member Body to ISO: American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

12. ISO Technical Committee 272
Final slide –
TC 272 meetings 2x/year – Currently finishing up Spring meeting in Stockholm; Spring 2017 was in Madrid; Fall 2017 was in Tokyo; Fall 2018 planned for Mexico City