Accreditation: Organizational

Certification

It focuses on assessing a forensic scientist's competence.

Accreditation

It is concerned with the organization's overall operation. It is the summary of a laboratory's managerial and technical requirements in order to meet a specific standard.

Accreditation

* It is a formal acknowledgement that a testing laboratory is qualified to conduct particular tests or particular types of tests.
* It also signifies acceptance of a testing laboratory's impartiality and technical proficiency.

Supplementary Requirements

The application of standards to specific areas may require additional explanations via documentation.

ASCLD/LAB Legacy

In the United States, the ______ program accredits crime laboratories.

National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA)

In Australia, the _____ provides a tailored forensic science accreditation program.

ISO/IEC 17020

General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspections.

ISO 9001: Quality management systems – requirements

It applies not only to laboratories, but also to any orgnaizations providing services or products.

Customer Service

It provides a satisfactory service or product, which the customer recognizes as a basic condition.

Documenting

_____ the goals and procedures enables the accredited laboratory to create a repository of knowledge that already exists within their laboratory.

Preparing, Obtaining, and Maintaining accreditation

There are three main stages in the accreditation process:

written portfolio

Make sure to create a _____that includes the management system, technical capabilities, and objectives of the laboratory seeking accreditation.

quality manual

The first level of documentation is the _______ which outlines the rules and objectives of the work carried out by the laboratory applying for accreditation.

policies and procedures

The second level of documentation includes ________.

specific documents and detailed documentation

The third level of documentation is made up of _______, which may include checklists for carrying out particular duties or maintaining instruments.

Internal measures

This include the ongoing updating of documentation on procedures, administration, and methods.

External measures

These include proficiency test results, annual surveillance visits, and the submission of an accreditation report to the accrediting body.

Application Document

A supplemental document is an interpretative document of 17025.

International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Guidelines for forensic science laboratories

It provides guidance for laboratories involved in forensic analysis and examination to comply with ISO/IEC 17025 or the NATA supplementary requirements.

degree of subjectivity

The forensic community has a difficult time adjusting to external standards due to the "_________" of the techniques used as well as the nature of the work done, primarily because of the distinctive and varied nature of each piece of evidence.

ISO/IEC 17025

For criminalistics laboratories, the international standard that seems most appropriate is _______ for testing and calibrating laboratories.

ILAC-G19: 2002

The specifications of how this standard can be applied to forensic/criminalistics laboratories are found in ______ and the NATA supplementary requirements.

European Network of Forensic Science Institutes

ENFSI

American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors

ASCLD

Senior Managers of Australian and New Zealand Forensic Laboratories

SMANZFL