ASCLD Policy Library

The American Society of Crime Lab Directors represents managers, directors, and leaders of crime laboratories across the United States spanning the entire range of local, state, and federal government laboratories as well as private labs. As such, policymakers often look to ASCLD to weigh in on matters affecting the nation’s crime labs. ASCLD produces Position Papers, Formal Comments, and Official Statements on a wide range of topics. Below, you can find ASCLD’s official positions and comments on multiple issues across last last several years.

2022
Position Statements
2020
2019
Position Statements
ASCLD Comments on U.S. Department of Justice Documents

2019 NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR FORENSIC LABORATORIES AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS

UNIFORM LANGUAGE FOR TESTIMONY AND REPORTS

FORENSIC SCIENCE DISCIPLINE REVIEWS

Other ASCLD Policy Documents
2017
Position Statements
ASCLD Comments on U.S. Department of Justice Documents

2017 RFI ON ADVANCING FORENSIC SCIENCE

Other ASCLD Policy Documents
2014
Position Statements
ASCLD Comments on National Commission on Forensic Science Documents
Other ASCLD Policy Documents
2013
2012
Other ASCLD Policy Documents
2011
2009
Other ASCLD Policy Documents

ASCLD Position #1 - Ethics and Objectivity

ASCLD believes the practice of forensic science must be built on a foundation of ethics and objectivity. Regardless of whether a laboratory is a part of a police or sheriff’s department, a local or state attorney’s office, a medical examiner’s office or any other parent agency, laboratory managers and employees of forensic laboratories must avoid any activity, interest, influence, or association that interferes or appears to interfere with their independent ability to exercise professional judgment. Our professional ethics provide the basis for the examination of evidence and the reporting of analytical results by blending the scientific principles and the statutory requirements into guidelines for professional behavior. Laboratory managers must strive to ensure that forensic science examinations are conducted in accordance with sound scientific principles and within the framework of the statutory requirements to which forensic professionals are responsible.

ASCLD Position #2 – Financial Resources

ASCLD believes proper and continuous funding is critical for all forensic science laboratories and operations to meet their near-term and long-term operational demands as well as their training and continuing education needs. Adequately resourced budgets allow forensic managers to provide the proper space, technological support and staffing levels to meet (i) the quality and time demands of casework and (ii) the on-going competency requirements for training, research, technological development, and innovation. Funding must be substantial and consistent in order to provide accurate, timely and meaningful results that can identify the guilty and exonerate the innocent.

ASCLD Position #3 – Accreditation

ASCLD believes accreditation of ALL forensic science operations is an essential quality component. Accreditation, with movement toward ISO/IEC 17025 based international standards as currently offered by our strategic partners, provides confidence and assurance to a parent organization, its employees, the criminal justice community, and the public that the operation can meet the most comprehensive forensic quality management system requirements.

ASCLD Position #4 – Education, Training and Certification

ASCLD believes laboratory managers and parent organizations need to develop, share and support the best practices of technological and fiscal efficiency in order to achieve standardization within the forensic disciplines. The development of standardized methods and procedures, the development of common language in benchmarking performance studies, and the careful analysis of fiscal and operational metrics will provide improved accountability to the justice community and standardization between all forensic science laboratories and operations.

ASCLD Position #5 – Standardization and Best Practices

ASCLD believes laboratory managers and parent organizations need to develop, share and support the best practices of technological and fiscal efficiency in order to achieve standardization within the forensic disciplines. The development of standardized methods and procedures, the development of common language in benchmarking performance studies, and the careful analysis of fiscal and operational metrics will provide improved accountability to the justice community and standardization between all forensic science laboratories and operations.

ASCLD Position #6 – Oversight

ASCLD believes the creation and support of an advisory infrastructure which includes the appropriate stakeholders is a means to promote and encourage scientific and managerial excellence in the forensic community. Such an infrastructure, however named and formed, must be advisory (non-controlling) in function and comprised of individuals with the knowledge and understanding of forensic science which could identify and help resolve legitimate concerns while discrediting criticisms that are unfounded or unsupported.