FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5-11-2022
ASCLD Recognizes Laboratories for Superior Operations
GARNER, NC: The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) announced thirteen forensic laboratories as recipients of the Foresight Maximus Award, a distinction recognizing the top performing forensic laboratories in the world based on Foresight business metrics.
The 2022 Foresight Maximus award was presented to thirteen participant laboratories operating at 90% or better of peak efficiency.
• Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, Little Rock, AR
• Bexar County Criminal Investigation Laboratory, San Antonio, TX
• Chandler Police department – Forensic Services Section, Chandler, AZ
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Crime Lab, Charlotte, NC
• Forensic Science Department, Organismo de Investigación Judicial, San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia, Costa Rica
• DuPage County Forensic Science Center, Wheaton, IL
• Indiana State Department of Toxicology, Indianapolis, IN
• Midwest Regional Forensic Laboratory, Andover, MN
• Montana Forensic Science Division, Missoula, MT
• Pinellas County Forensic Lab, Largo, FL
• City of Tulsa Police Department Forensic Laboratory, Tulsa, OK
• St. Louis County Police Crime Laboratory, Clayton, MO
• North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory, Shreveport, LA
“Congratulations to the project FORESIGHT award winners”, said ASCLD President Laura Sudkamp. “These top performing laboratories are an inspiration for other forensic laboratories to evaluate their own labs and seek ways to improve efficiency and productivity without compromising quality and accountability. The award winners set the benchmarks we should all strive to achieve in days of lean budgets and increasing caseloads.”
About Foresight: Started in 2007 by a cooperative agreement between the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics and the National Institute of Justice, the Foresight program is a business-guided, self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories, which began with local, regional, state, and national agencies in North America. Over the years, the program has expanded to include forensic laboratories from around the world. Economics, accounting, finance, and forensic faculty from WVU and Florida International University (FIU) provide assistance, guidance, and analysis. The process involves standardizing definitions for metrics to evaluate work processes, linking financial information to work tasks, and functions. The program has grown over time and its success had led to numerous journal publications, countless laboratory efficiency improvements across the U.S. and a supplementary program with funding by the Laura and John Arnold foundation to examine the interface between Foresight metrics and Laboratory Information Management Systems. Based on the success of the program and the gains seen by forensic laboratories, ASCLD has sought to begin recognizing peak performing laboratories at its Annual Symposium. The Project FORESIGHT Annual Report, 2020-2021 can be found here: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/3093
1 FORESIGHT: A Business Approach to Improving Forensic Science Services, Forensic Science Policy & Management: An International Journal Volume 1, Issue 2, 2009, Max M. Houck, Richard A. Riley, Paul J. Speaker, & Tom S. Witt, pages 85-95.
About ASCLD: ASCLD is a nonprofit professional society of crime laboratory directors and forensic science managers dedicated to providing excellence in forensic science through leadership and innovation. Founded in 1974, the purpose of the organization is to foster professional interests; assist the development of laboratory management principles and techniques; acquire, preserve, and disseminate forensic based information; maintain and improve communications among crime laboratory directors; and to promote, encourage and maintain the highest standards of practice in the field.
