All Webinars

All of our webinars, reports, podcast episodes, and other educational resources are available to the public at no cost.

Funding for the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence has been provided by the National Institute of Justice.

To filter, simply click on the topics below.

MDI Myth: Rapid Toxicology Screening Tools Can Replace Traditional Toxicology Testing – No Need to Confirm

← Back to Webinar Series Page Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Eastern Duration: 1 hour Overview This session will bust the myth that new toxicology screening tools can fully replace traditional toxicology testing. This session…

MDI Myth: We Don’t Need to Worry About Diversity in Medicolegal Death Investigation

← Back to Webinar Series Page Thursday, October 3, 2024 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Eastern Duration: 1 hour Overview An organization with a strong Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) based philosophy recognizes the diverse voices of the community…

2024 MDI MythBusters Webinar Series

Overview Following the conceptualization of the popular MythBusters television series (Discovery Channel 2003-2016), this webinar series explores evidence-based methods, operational decision making, and case study findings to prove or disprove common beliefs about medicolegal death investigation. It is widely accepted…

Evaluating a Statistical Method for Comparison of Mass Spectra of Novel Psychoactive Substance

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on July 25, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview Identification of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) based on comparisons of electron-ionization (EI) mass spectra continues to pose challenges in seized drug analysis.…

Foundational Statistics for Forensic Toxicology Webinar Series

Overview In the field of Forensic Toxicology, numerical data and statistics abound, appearing in quantitative analyses, quality control, measurement uncertainty, proficiency testing, method validation, experimental design, peer-reviewed journal articles, business analytics, and more. Foundational statistical knowledge is critical to understanding…

Quantitative Analysis Method for Tetrahydrocannabinol Isomers in Biological Matrices

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on June 25, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview Of recent, forensic toxicology laboratories have been grappling with the emergence of tetrahydrocannabinol isomers within biological specimens. Traditional methods for the identification…

LC-DAD with Optional ESI/MS: An Emerging Gold Standard for Hemp Compliance Testing

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on June 13, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview Hemp compliance testing is used to quantify total Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), including both Δ9-THC and its precursor, i.e., Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (Δ9-THCA), to determine…

FITS—Functional Implementation of Thorough and Systematic Approaches for Fracture Examinations

This webinar originally occurred on June 4, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview The separation of materials such as tape, plastics, and textiles from their original source frequently occurs during violent activities, leaving distinct patterns along the fractured edges. These features…

Forensic Use of GPR and LiDAR Technology for Clandestine Grave Detection

This webinar originally occurred on April 18, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview George Mason University (GMU) has conducted a technology evaluation of LiDAR deployed on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for crime scene processing, specifically in…

A National Snapshot of Publicly Funded Crime Laboratory Operations

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on April 2, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview Crime labs perform a variety of forensic analyses for federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies, examining and reporting on physical evidence…

DEIA: What I learned from the AAFS Diversity Outreach Committee

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on March 28, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar introduces contemporary definitions and applications of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), which differ from past interpretations. Modern applications will…

FBI Laboratory Decision Analysis Studies in Pattern Evidence Examinations

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on March 19, 2024 Duration: 1 hour Overview From 2007 through the present, the FBI Laboratory has led a series of decision analysis “black-box” studies aimed at evaluating the accuracy,…

We Did It! You can too! An Inside Perspective to Implementing Standards on the OSAC Registry

← Back to Webinar Series Page ← FTCOE ASCLD All Resources Page This webinar originally occurred on January 30, 2024Duration: 1 hour Overview There are many forensic science service providers (FSSPs) with a genuine interest in initiating standards implementation within…

Physical Characteristics of Spatter Stains on Textiles

This webinar originally occurred on December 12, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is a forensic technique for crime scene reconstruction, through analyzing bloodstains (e.g., size, shape, etc.) and their patterns (e.g., distribution, location, etc.) to recreate the…

Validation of a Confirmatory Proteomic Mass Spectrometry Body Fluid Assay

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on December 7, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview With increasingly sensitive forensic methods for DNA detection, the source from which a DNA profile is obtained becomes increasingly important. Was an individual’s…

Improving Methods Using Machine Learning and Databases in Forensic Anthropology

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on December 5, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview Part I: GeoFOR presented by Katherine Weisensee, Ph.D.Estimating the time since death, or the postmortem interval (PMI), poses a significant challenge to forensic…

Transient Workforce in Forensic Pathology: Challenges, Rewards, and Best Practices

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on November 16, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview A roadmap to successfully utilizing contract forensic pathologists, also known as locum tenens, will be presented by a Chief Medical Examiner and…

Advancing Research and Collaborative Research Partnerships in Forensic Science

← Back to Webinar Series Page ← FTCOE ASCLD All Resources Page This webinar originally occurred on November 14, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview With the ever-increasing volume of evidence being submitted to forensic laboratories coupled with the growing demand…

Modern Death Investigation: Hub and Spoke Models for Adequate Workforce

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on November 7, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar describes the history, structure, and operations of the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The system includes four regional…

2023 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Webinar Series

Overview In this webinar series, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) proudly collaborates with forensic science researchers whose projects receive support from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) research grant program. Presenters will highlight advancements in the forensic community…

National Center on Forensics Community-Focused Webinar Series

Overview In this webinar series, the National Center on Forensics (NCF) and FTCOE collaborate to deliver educational sessions based on specific needs identified by NCF research with community members. The NCF, funded by the National Institute of Justice, works specifically…

Cannabinoid Pharmacology: Three Decades of Controlled Human Cannabinoid Administration Studies

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on August 1, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview Important research findings of three decades of controlled human cannabinoid administration studies conducted at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National…

Vaping in the Weeds: The Merging of the E-cigarette and Cannabis Industries

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on June 29, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview The modern e-cigarette was developed for the vaping of nicotine. The nicotine e-cigarette device and associated e-liquids were federally unregulated until 2016.…

Development of Analytical Methods for Measuring Δ9-THC in Cannabis Products

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on Tuesday, June 27, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview With the passage of the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act (Farm Bill), forensic laboratories have been tasked with differentiating seized cannabis samples as…

All Is Not Pot That’s Green: An Overview of THC Isomers

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on June 15, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview THC isomers, also known as THC analogs or semi-synthetic cannabinoids, are a group of compounds structurally related to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) that are often…

Low Prosecution Rates in Sexual Assault Cases: Can We Make Sustainable Improvements?

← Back to Webinar Series Page Tuesday, April 25, 2023 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EasternDuration: 1 hour Overview This webinar begins with contextual information about prosecution case outcomes in sexual assault cases of adult victims. The challenges in…

Research Clues to Appreciating a New Era of Cannabinoid Conundrums Webinar Series

Overview Use and abuse of various cannabinoids has seen significant growth over the past several years due to the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill. Proliferation of new cannabinoid products derived from cannabidiol has resulted…

Touch DNA Evidence Collection in Sexual Assault Cases: Knowledge to Inform Practice

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on April 18, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview Touch DNA was a revolutionary concept when introduced in 1997. The application of touch DNA in sexual assault cases was tested in 2011…

Solving Violent Crime Through Lawfully “Owed” DNA: Outcomes of Efforts to Address Missed DNA Samples

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on April 11, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview Lawfully owed DNA procedures have an immeasurable impact on the criminal justice system. Procedures do not fall on just one discipline in the…

Exploring the Link Between Dating Apps and Sexual Assault: Novel Research Findings

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on April 4, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview Dr. Julie L. Valentine will share background information on dating app usage and user demographics to provide context for research findings on dating…

Stress, Trauma, and Burnout in Forensic Scientists

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on March 28, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview The world of forensic science and death investigation is always unpredictable and demanding. Large caseloads, hazardous materials, traumatic evidence, and other complexities related…
lady justice

2023 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Webinar Series: Novel Research on Sexual Assault

Overview This April, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence will be releasing a series of webinars covering topics related to novel research on various sexual assault topics. Tune in as our presenters discuss…

Dental Morphology: The Informative but Lesser-Known Traits

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on February 8, 2023 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Estimation of population affinity is a core component of the forensic anthropological biological profile. Most forensic anthropologists rely on craniometric1 and cranial…

Triaging Cases – Case Management and All That Means

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on January 31, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar will present laboratory managers with a discussion on case management in forensic science laboratories. All forensic science laboratories struggle with…

The Increased Value of Forensic Science to Lead Gun Crime Investigations

← Back to Webinar Series Page ← FTCOE ASCLD All Resources Page Part I originally occurred on January 16, 2024Duration: 1 hour Part II originally occurred on January 23, 2024Duration: 1 hour Overview The United States has seen the number…

The State of Standard Development & Tools for Assessing and Implementing Standards

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on January 17, 2023 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This webinar will introduce attendees to the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) Registry of Standards, the International Organization…

Digital Caseload Processing with the NIST National Software Reference Library

This webinar originally occurred on December 13, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview The National Software Reference Library (NSRL) is supported by federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to promote…

Transition Analysis 3 Age-at-Death Estimation: Past, Present, and Future

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on December 7, 2022Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Whether the goal is to estimate the age of a single individual or those in a larger skeletal assemblage, accurate and precise estimates…

Audio Forensic Analysis Procedures for User Generated Audio Recordings

This webinar originally occurred on November 29, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview The widespread use of handheld smartphones and other devices capable of recording audio and video means that user generated recordings (UGRs) are increasingly presented as evidence in criminal…

Forensic Fractography of Bone: A New Model for Skeletal Trauma Analysis

← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on November 2, 2022 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Fractography is a tool for studying material failure. Analysis of cracks and fractures can reveal information about how, why, and where a…

Society of Forensic Anthropologists Webinar Series

Overview The Society of Forensic Anthropologists (SOFA) is a non-profit organization comprised of active American Academy of Forensic Science members who are forensic anthropology practitioners. SOFA promotes communication and cooperation among forensic anthropologists and is committed to professional growth and…

Hair Root Staining – What Can Hematoxylin Do for Your Laboratory?

This webinar originally occurred on August 16, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview Hair evidence collected as part of a forensic investigation has the potential to provide valuable source information through DNA analysis of its root. In the years prior to…

Interlaboratory Comparison of SpermX and Conventional Differential Extractions

This webinar originally occurred on August 11, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview Scientists from three participating laboratories – University of Central Florida (UCF), Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE), and InnoGenomics (IGT) – presented results obtained from mock…

Risk Management for Forensic Laboratories Webinar Series

Overview This webinar series explores the benefits of using risk-based thinking and risk management principles to assist in managing forensic laboratories. By employing a risk-based approach, laboratory managers better understand their decisions’ effects and impact on laboratory activities. From evaluating…

What Keeps You Awake at Night: Risk, Leading Change, and Challenging Decisions

← Back to Risk Management for Forensic Laboratories Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on July 26, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview In a recent conversation, the Colonel of the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) asked the presenter, the Director…

Using Risk Management to Optimize Forensic Laboratory Operations

← Back to Risk Management for Forensic Laboratories Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on June 30, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview The use of risk management has been historically absent from the management of forensic science laboratories. While ISO 31000…
drugs and border patrol

Narcotic Concealment Methods in U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Emergence of Counterfeit Tablets Containing Fentanyl in the United States

← Back to Unseen Threats Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on May 26, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview With nearly 6,000 miles of border to patrol and screening passengers and cargo at over 130 airports, seaports, and land border crossings,…
vaping and smoke

Electronic Cigarettes: A Tangle of Regulation, Public Health, and Public Safety Issues

← Back to Unseen Threats Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on May 24, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview While modern electronic cigarettes (ECIG) were invented as an effective alternate method for nicotine delivery, the unregulated cannabis industry and recreational…
test tubes and scientists

Things Are Not What They Seem: A Collection of Interesting Case Studies from the Medical Examiner Scene Queens

← Back to Unseen Threats Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on May 19, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview With the rise of illicit fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, synthetic cathinones, xylazine, and other substances adulterating many traditional street drugs, users often have…

Terrestrial LiDAR Scanners: Guidelines for Use in Criminal Justice Applications

This webinar originally occurred on May 3, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview Terrestrial LiDAR scanning devices (also known as terrestrial laser scanning devices, TLS) acquire complex geometric data that capture a three-dimensional representation of a scene. This technology can be used…
pills and IV

Unseen Threats: A Webinar Series from the AAFS Opioids and Emerging Drugs Ad-Hoc Committee

Overview This webinar series is based on the one-day workshop (“Unseen Threats”) that was sponsored by the Opioids and Emerging Drugs Ad-Hoc Committee at the 2022 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Meeting. To follow up on this workshop,…
woman sad

Strangulation in Sexual Assault Cases: Considerations for Evidence Collection and Supporting Healing

← Back to 2022 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on April 14, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview In addition to providing medical care and support to victims of sexual assault, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) collect…

Pandemic Impacts in the Workplace: Employee Wellness, Returning to the Office, & Remote Testimony

← Back to ASCLD Train the Director Series This webinar originally occurred on April 12, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview Employers have endured many operational changes due to the pandemic. During the pandemic, employers have faced numerous challenges, such as how…
cog wheels

Sexual Assault Kit Evidence Tracking: The Idaho State Police Forensic Services Experience

← Back to 2022 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on April 7, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview The Idaho State Police Forensic Services agency has designed a sexual assault kit evidence tracking system to effectively track…

Legalization of Marijuana: The Journey of Marijuana Laws in Colorado and Ohio

← Back to ASCLD Train the Director Series This webinar originally occurred on April 5, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview The decriminalization of hemp and legalization of marijuana is not a new topic across the United States. With 37 states allowing…
implement

Application of the OSAC Registry of Standards to Forensic Science Service Providers’ Quality Systems

← Back to ASCLD Train the Director Series This webinar originally occurred on March 31, 2022Duration: 1 hour Overview Since its official inception in 2014, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for…
lady justice

2022 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Webinar Series: Exploring Current Trends in Sexual Assault Response

Overview This April, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence will be releasing a series of webinars covering topics related to sexual assault response reform. Tune in as our presenters discuss sexual assault kit…

U.S. National Footwear Database System Feasibility Study

This webinar originally occurred on February 15, 2022. Duration: 1 hour Overview Shoeprints at crime scenes, along with suspects’ footwear, are routinely collected and analyzed by qualified examiners in crime laboratories and forensic units to identify, include, or exclude suspects’…
gun & evidence

A Unique Approach to a Crime Gun Intelligence Center with the Inclusion and Support of 3D Virtual Comparison Technologies

This webinar originally occurred on February 10, 2022. Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Any effective Crime Gun Intelligence Program relies on the expeditious processing of firearms-related evidence to achieve the goal of intelligence led firearms-based investigations. The possible intelligence gained through…
ammo

Two-Pronged Study of Bullets Fired by Consecutively Rifled Barrels

← Back to Firearm and Toolmarks Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on December 16, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview The 2016 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Report brought forensics, and specifically firearms identification, into the…
firearm & Ammo

Glock Pistol Toolmarks: A Literature Review and Introduction of Undocumented Toolmarks

← Back to Firearm and Toolmarks Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on December 14, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Glock pistols are well known for their generally distinctive class characteristics and the numerous toolmarks that they create on fired…
bug & DNA

Molecular Identification of Insects Relevant to Medicolegal Casework

This webinar originally occurred on December 2, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Accurate insect identification is critical to their use in estimation of time of colonization (TOC) and post-mortem interval (PMI) during medicolegal death investigations. Insect specimens are currently identified…
landscape

Harnessing Data to Implement Real-Time Data-Driven Overdose Response Strategies

← Back to MDI Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on December 7, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview In response to the lack of real-time reporting of both non-fatal and fatal overdoses across the United States, the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity…
certificate of death and drugs

Death Certification by the Medical Examiner/Coroner in Drug-Related Deaths

← Back to MDI Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on November 30, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Considering the steadily rising number of overdose deaths in recent years, public health systems rely on the vital role of medicolegal death…
tiles and data

Data Systems Imperative in 21st Century Forensic Services

← Back to MDI Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on November 16, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Forensic science and service providers are, almost universally, experiencing a two-fold challenge to achieve effective results: diminishing resources and increasing demands for…

The Importance of Data to the MDI Community and Stakeholders

← Back to MDI Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on November 2, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Many stakeholders rely on medicolegal death investigation (MDI) data to support efforts that help save lives and promote justice. These stakeholders include…
feet, person touching tablet, human diagram

Medicolegal Death Investigation (MDI) Webinar Series

Overview The medicolegal death investigation (MDI) system, which includes Medical Examiner and Coroner offices, serves a fundamental role for supporting public safety by conducting death scene investigations, performing forensic autopsies, providing cause and manner of death determinations, and completing death…

Sam Quinones | International Award-Winning Author – The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth

This webinar originally occurred on October 28, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and an international award-winning author of four books of narrative nonfiction. Quinones’ latest book, The Least of Us: True Tales…
computer code and vial

DART-MS Data Interpretation Tool and Other Resources for Seized Drug Analysis

This webinar originally occurred on October 21st, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Over the past several years, emerging drugs and novel psychoactive substances have increased the challenge of seized drug analysis. Many laboratories have turned to new technology to improve…

Overdose Fatality Investigation Techniques: Lessons Learned from Project ECHO

This webinar originally occurred on October 7, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview State and territorial public health agencies rely on timely and accurate overdose mortality data to drive effective prevention initiatives. As the number of overdose deaths in the United…
FADAMA logo with skull

Introduction to the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy

This webinar originally occurred on August 31, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Data availability is the cornerstone of progression of any scientific inquiry. For forensic anthropologists, the data sources are limited, as they must be contextually appropriate (temporal, geographical, etc.)…
A footprint next to a magnifying glass

Footwear Evidence Conclusions: A Discussion of Standards, Recommendations, and Structure

This webinar originally occurred on September 30, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview It can be challenging to write reliable, accurate conclusions that meet the expectations of stakeholders that oversee and use footwear evidence reports. Some of the challenges associated with…
arrows pointing to circle with footwear tread

Image Quality and Clarity: The Keys to Forensic Digital Image Processing

This webinar originally occurred on August 3, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview The ability to accurately and reliably analyze and compare forensic digital images relies on two key elements: image quality and image clarity.  Most forensic examiners understand that resolution…
type writer with stack of papers

Multiple Perspectives on Overdose Fatality Reviews

This webinar originally occurred on July 27, 2021Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar provided an overview of overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) with a specific focus on engaging partnerships with coroners, medical examiners, and medicolegal death investigators.  The presenters highlighted OFRs…
A hand holding drug paraphernalia

Novel Psychoactive Substance Naming Conventions & Challenges

This webinar originally occurred on July 22, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) present many challenges for the forensic scientist, including the various ways that they are named and how those names are used – both scientifically…
a group of people sitting on a video conference

ASCLD Train the Director – Best Practices for Engaging Participants in Video Conferences

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on July 7, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview In this webinar, attendees learned a variety of strategies to keep participants engaged in an online meeting environment. First, attendees learned about the importance…
A series of digital people

ASCLD Train the Director – Successful Onboarding in Crime Laboratories

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on June 16, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Onboarding involves integrating a new employee into your organization. Also known as organizational socialization, onboarding is an important process that sometimes becomes an afterthought…
A digital fingerprint

A Comprehensive Look at LatentSleuth

This webinar originally occurred on June 8, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview LatentSleuth is a novel software toolset designed for (and with direct feedback from) latent print examiners. The toolset includes a small-scale automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) matcher that leverages a novel matching…
a firearm with the ASCLD logo

ASCLD Train the Director – Firearms 3D Technology: Advantages and Value for Implementing 3D Technologies 

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on June 2, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview This presentation demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating 3D technology into the forensic firearms/toolmarks discipline and the decision analysis used for selecting samples for virtual…
People in a laboratory

ASCLD Train the Director – Developing an Unbiased Culture in Your Laboratory

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on May 26, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar facilitated a discussion about bias in a crime laboratory. Questions discussed included: what is bias in forensics? How can it impact your…
three xray scans

Post-Mortem Computed Tomography Webinar Series

Overview Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) is a valuable tool for medicolegal death investigation.  PMCT examination may be used to supplement traditional autopsy or anthropological examinations. Further, PMCT combined with external examination may be used as an alternative to full autopsy…
Burning building/scientist collecting evidence

Advancing Fire Scene Investigations with Field Portable Technologies

← Additional Portable Instrumentation for On-Scene Fire Debris Analysis Resources This webinar originally occurred on April 6, 2021. Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This multi-year effort evaluated the application and limitations of field portable Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) systems.  The testing included three bench-top burns,…
Bloodstain pattern and a ruler

Lessons Learned from Proficiency Test Results in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

This webinar originally occurred on April 15th, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview The Daubert ruling by the Supreme Court established “the known or potential rate of error” as one of several factors to be used when assessing the scientific reliability…
Scientist working from home

ASCLD Emerging Issues: COVID-19 – Remote Work in the Forensic Lab

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on March 17, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immeasurable impact on workplaces around the world. Organizations have had to rapidly implement operational changes in order to…
Chemical symbols over plants

Structural Characterization of Emerging Synthetic Drugs by Mass Spectrometry

This webinar originally occurred on March 5, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview The main focus of this webinar is on the use of isotope labeling, multi-stage mass spectrometry (MSn), ion spectroscopy, and accurate mass measurements with high resolution mass spectrometry…

Preemptive Approach to Combatting and Characterizing Emerging Synthetic Opioids

This webinar originally occurred on February 8, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar described how preemptive synthesis and characterization of potent psychoactive substances from the literature can aid forensic scientists in the identification of unknowns appearing in samples emerging…
Drug paraphernalia

Novel Synthetic Opioids in Oral Fluid: Analytical Methods and Prevalence

This webinar originally occurred on February 11, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Opioid use has risen dramatically, creating public safety concerns. Synthetic opioids can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin and can produce severe intoxications and even fatalities…
a digital strand of DNA

An Automated Single Cell Separation Technique to Improve Mixture Deconvolution

This webinar originally occurred on November 12, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview Although the interpretation of mixed DNA samples is commonplace in forensic analyses, complex samples often present interpretational challenges. These complexities are introduced through a variety of environmental, biological,…
Pipette filling plastic storage tubes

Effects of DNA Extraction Methods on Recovery, Degradation, and Loss

This webinar originally occurred on August 20, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview DNA recovered from forensic and ancient DNA (aDNA) sources is generally expected to be in low copy number and degraded in strand length. However, considering the following equation,…
image of DNA

PACE™: Rapid and Automated Artifact Identification and Number of Contributor Prediction

This webinar originally occurred on July 28, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview The PACE™ software introduces a fully continuous, machine learning tool to the forensic DNA community that enables fast and accurate artifact management and predicts the number of contributors…
various explosives, including fireworks

Intact Low Explosives Analysis with an Emphasis on Microscopical Methods

This webinar originally occurred on July 16, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview The presenters in this webinar will discuss intact low explosives analysis with an emphasis on microscopical methods. They will cover basic terminology for explosives, the rationale of low…
virtual depiction of DNA strands on computer screen

Validation and Tutorial of NOCIt for Determining the Number of Contributors

This webinar originally occurred on July 14, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview Forensic DNA signal is notoriously challenging to interpret and requires the implementation of computational tools that support its interpretation. While data from high-copy, low-contributor samples result in an…
hands holding up sign that reads Employee Wellness

ASCLD Emerging Issues: Employee Wellness – Tackling Employee Wellness: The Phoenix Police Department’s Crime Lab Approach

← Back to ASCLD Employee Wellness Series ← Back to Forensic Workforce Resiliency Series This webinar originally occurred on June 18th, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Organizations often struggle with building supportive organizational cultures, employee morale, and interpersonal relationships. The…
gloved hand holding up small plastic bag containing white powder

ASCLD Emerging Issues: Employee Wellness – Drug Exposures in the Forensic Laboratory: What We Know, What We Can Learn

← Back to ASCLD Employee Wellness Series This webinar originally occurred on June 25, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview The recent rise in the illicit trade of highly toxic, synthetic drugs such as fentanyl has introduced a new set of…
Skyline view of Phoenix, AZ

ASCLD Emerging Issues: Employee Wellness – Stress, Vicarious Trauma, and Resiliency for Forensic Science Professionals

← Back to ASCLD Employee Wellness Series ← Back to Forensic Workforce Resiliency Series This webinar originally occurred on June 11, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview The phenomena of vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue, and burnout have been described since the…
man pointing at digital icons on futuristic computer screen

Managing an Accredited Digital Forensics Laboratory

This webinar originally occurred on July 1, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview In a 1-hour presentation, this webinar will address challenges unique to managing digital forensics laboratories seeking or maintaining accreditation. Participants will explore current challenges facing digital forensics laboratories…
fire burning on second floor of building

Ventilation Limited Fires: Considerations for Fire Pattern Analysis

This webinar originally occurred on June 10, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview During the past decade, the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute has conducted research examining fire-fighting tactics.  This research found that factors such as construction materials, contents, size, and…
dried marijuana plants/ two scientists examining living marijuana plants/ glass test tubes in a machine

The Sequel – Marijuana or Hemp: From Farm Bill to Forensic Analysis

← View the Previous Marijuana or Hemp Webinar This webinar originally occurred on March 25, 2020 Duration: 2 hours Overview Due to the overwhelming attendance and interaction for the first Marijuana or Hemp: From Farm Bill to Forensic Analysis webinar that was…
two people riding tandem bicycle

Recent Advances in Tandem Separation and Detection Techniques for the Analysis of Emerging Drugs

This webinar originally occurred on March 19, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview The use of tandem separation and detection techniques can be thought of as a tandem bicycle: one passenger is the separation technique and the other passenger is the…
scientists in laboratory/marijuana flower

ASCLD Train the Director – Marijuana Analysis in a New Frontier: Two State Laboratory Approaches

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on March 5th, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview After the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) was enacted in December 2018, many states rushed to make changes to their own laws…
Circle with palm prints in the center

Results of a Black Box Study on the Accuracy and Reliability of Palm Print Comparisons

This webinar originally occurred on March 12, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview In 2011, a team of researchers from the FBI and Noblis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the first large-scale black box study measuring…
A clean laboratory full of glass equipment

ASCLD Train the Director – Toxicology: Instrumentation, Methodology, and Workflows

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 6, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Legacy workflows in toxicology generally involve a drug class screen followed by a gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC/MS-MS) confirmation…
eye dropper filling glass test tubes

The Time to Analyze is Now: DNA Evidence in Groping Sexual Assault Cases

This webinar originally occurred on January 29, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This webinar built on the concepts presented in the webinar “The Time to Collect is Now: DNA Evidence in Groping Sexual Assault Cases” presented by Dr. Julie Valentine.…
virtual depiction of DNA strands

ASCLD Train the Director – Investigative Genetic Genealogy: Background and Crime Lab Strategy

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on January 23, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Investigative Genetic Genealogy is a recently developed technique that generates new leads on previously unsolved cases where DNA from the suspect is present at…
Person typing on a laptop

ASCLD Train the Director – Quality Assurance: Beyond Accreditation

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on January 9, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Accreditation and quality assurance are two terms that are commonly used within the forensic science community. Many forensic laboratory mission statements incorporate the word…
dried marijuana plants/ two scientists examining living marijuana plants/ glass test tubes in a machine

Marijuana or Hemp: From Farm Bill to Forensic Analysis

This webinar originally occurred on January 15, 2020 Duration: 2 hours Overview Attendees heard from experts in agricultural policy, hemp industry analytical testing, and the DEA Special Testing and Research laboratory to obtain a better understanding of the issues that…
Blood spatter on a white wall

Communicating Conclusions in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

This webinar originally occurred on December 11, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview The results of a bloodstain pattern analysis are communicated through written reports and courtroom testimony.  Principles of communication science will be discussed and explained to develop the audience’s…
Custom graphics with the words Global Monitoring/ Substance Identification, Trend Analysis, Toxicology Portal, Risk Communication, Prioritization for International Action, and National Legislative Responses

UNODC Early Warning Alert System: Forensic Tools for New Psychoactive Substances

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on December 3, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Early Warning Advisory (EWA) on new psychoactive substances (NPS) was launched in June 2013 as…
silhouette of a buffalo

Providing Forensic Healthcare and Support to Native Communities

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 27, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Awareness of how to provide culturally appropriate and trauma informed services to the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) community is important for forensic examiners. This…
a field of red flowers

Forensic Epidemiology: Monitoring Fatal Drug Overdose Trends

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on February 11, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview Given the vital role of medical examiners and coroners (ME/C) in recognizing emerging trends in drug overdose deaths, partnering epidemiologists with ME/C offices can…
a pair of hands reach for pills, a syringe, a baggie of white powder, and a cell phone.

The Next Wave: Applying Lessons Learned from Opioids and PolyDrug Critical Incidents in Addressing Emerging Drug Threats

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on November 12, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview By participating in this webinar, participants were able to discuss the breadth, diversity, and array of substance and substance combinations as well as the…
a bullet being fired from a revolver

Rapid and Effective Identification of Organic and Inorganic Gunshot Residues

This webinar originally occurred on November 20, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Forensic laboratories and law enforcement personnel provide valuable support in the reconstruction of events and the assessment of the value of evidence in firearm-related investigations. The scientific validity…
scientist measuring bruises under blue and green lights

Detection and Visibility of Bruises Using Alternate Light: From Science to Practice

This webinar originally occurred on October 30, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview Bruising is one of the most common types of soft tissue injury noted on victims of violence, including those suffering intimate partner violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and…
five scientists having a discussion behind glass

Handling Difficult and Disturbing Forensic Cases for Coroners and Medical Examiners

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on October 17, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview There are over 2000 medical examiner and coroner offices throughout the United States. All are involved in determining the cause and manner of death…
tire treads and shoe print

Portable Advanced 3D Imaging for Footwear and Tire Impression Capture

This webinar originally occurred on October 23, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This webinar will explain the principles and capabilities of a fully automated portable system with an easy-to use-graphical user interface (GUI) for shoe and tire impression capture. We…
scientist examining chemical compounds

Improving National Laboratory Capability and Capacity to Measure Human Exposure to Synthetic Opioids

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on September 3, 2019  Duration: 1 hour Overview The CDC laboratory at the National Center for Environmental Health is collaborating with public, private, and academic laboratories to respond to the opioid overdose…
chemical compounds

Opioids & Emerging Drug Threats – Integrating Public Safety and Health Data for a Forensic Response Webinar Series

Overview Building on the momentum of the National Opioid and Emerging Drug Threats Policy and Practice Forum held earlier this year in Washington, D.C., the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) will assist the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in…
Decorative banner mimicking the appearance of concrete with Forensic Technology Center of Excellence fingerprint logo

The Opioid Epidemic: An Update from the Coroner/ME Perspective

This webinar originally occurred on July 24, 2019Duration: 50 minutes Overview Between 2016 and 2017, overdose deaths increased from 63,632 to 70,237. Of these, 47,600 overdose deaths involved opioids. In 2017, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the District of…
Decorative banner mimicking the appearance of concrete with Forensic Technology Center of Excellence fingerprint logo

Medicolegal Death Investigation: Locating and Notifying Next of Kin & Donation 101

This webinar originally occurred on July 23, 2019 Duration: 1.75 hours Overview Locating and notifying the next of kin is an important part of medicolegal death investigation. This presentation provided examples of resources at the scene and online to assist…
hands pouring baggie of white powder onto a surface under green light

Understanding the Impact of Drug Background Levels in Forensic Laboratories

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on August 13, 2019 Duration: 2 hours Overview As drugs become increasingly potent and analytical instrumentation becomes more sensitive, the need to understand and monitor drug background levels is becoming imperative.  Background…
lights and soundwaves

Module 8: Probabilistic Genotyping Summation and Special Topics

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on July 17, 2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 8: Probabilistic Genotyping Summation and Special Topics Throughout the Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results virtual workshop series, we have reviewed aspects of DNA…
old hand holding young hand

Cradle to Cane: Investigation of Crimes Against Vulnerable Victims

This webinar originally occurred on March 21-23, 2017 Duration: 14 hours Overview: In 2017, the National Institute of Justice, Charleston Southern University, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence, and the Shaken Baby Alliance worked together to create and host “From Cradle to Cane: Investigation of Crimes…
a series of question marks

MODULE 7: Uncertainty and Limitations of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on June 26, 2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 7: Uncertainty and Limitations of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems Has a person of interest contributed DNA to a mixture obtained from evidence? Is that…
scales of justice in an empty conference room

Module 5: Representation of Statistical Weight to Stakeholders and the Court

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on June 12, 2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 5: Representation of Statistical Weight to Stakeholders and the Court Forensic DNA experts in the U.S. generally have experience in communicating evidentiary weight…

MODULE 4: VALIDATION OF PROBABILISTIC GENOTYPING SYSTEMS FOR CASEWORK USAGE

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on May 29, 2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 4: Validation of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems for Casework Usage The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) and other bodies have published…

MODULE 3: PROBABILISTIC GENOTYPING SOFTWARE AND OUTPUT

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on May 22, 2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 3: Probabilistic Genotyping Software and Output Over a dozen probabilistic genotyping software programs are commercially available or accessible as freeware. This module presents…

MODULE 2: STATISTICAL GENETICS AND THE MECHANISMS OF PROBABILISTIC GENOTYPING

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on May 8,  2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 2: Statistical Genetics and the Mechanisms of Probabilistic Genotyping Probabilistic genotyping is a tool that uses computing power to aid in the identification…

Online Workshop Series: Probabilistic Genotyping Of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results

Overview The Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory has partnered with the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence to create a series of online workshops aimed at increasing knowledge, understanding, and the reliable application of probabilistic genotyping to…

Module 1: The Elements of DNA Profile Interpretation and Probabilistic Genotyping

← Back to Series  This module originally occurred on May 1, 2019 Duration: 4 hours Overview Module 1: The Elements of DNA Profile Interpretation and Probabilistic Genotyping Based on the review of various forms of STR typing results and factors…

Neurophysiology and Overcoming Trauma: Understanding Individual Challenges

This webinar originally occurred on April 30, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This webinar explores how personal experiences and unique traumas create commonly felt physical symptoms and investigates how the brain functions reflect a reaction to danger, an action to…

Collaboration Enhances Trauma-Informed Response to Sexual Assault Survivors

This live webinar originally occurred on April 25, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview The Houston Area Women’s Center’s & Houston Police Department’s experiences will provide attendees greater insight into how collaboration across community- and systems-based advocacy can enhance law enforcement’s…

HHRRC – Building Forensic Capacity Post-Conflict: Lessons from Uganda

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on March 28, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This presentation introduces research conducted in Uganda at the nexus of forensic science and transitional justice, highlighting a large-scale forensic investigation and human identification…

HHRRC – Stable Isotope Analysis in a Humanitarian Context

← Back to Series The webinar originally occurred on March 12, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This webinar will introduce stable isotope analysis and its validity as analytical tool in establishing the geographic origin and life history of unidentified individuals…

The Time to Collect is Now: DNA Evidence in Groping Sexual Assault Cases

This webinar originally occurred on February 27, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Improving the overall response to sexual assault includes understanding how touch DNA evidence impacts groping sexual assault cases. This webinar will illustrate the importance of these cases and…

ASCLD Train the Director – Quality Assurance in the Forensic Laboratory

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 21, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview This course explains transitioning from 17025:2005 to 17025:2017 and the lessons learned. This is the fifth webinar in the ASCLD Train the Director Webinar…

ASCLD Train the Director – Trace Evidence for the Crime Laboratory

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 14, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview This course serves as an overview of the trace evidence discipline for the crime laboratory administration. This is the fourth webinar in the ASCLD…

HHRRC – Isotopes Aiding Identification of Undocumented Border Crosser Human Remains

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 6, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview This webinar highlights the theory and methods of isotopic analysis to explain how it can be used to assist in the identification of human…

ASCLD Train the Director – NIBIN Challenges and Opportunities

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on January 24, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview This is the first webinar in the ASCLD Train the Director Webinar Series. Crime Gun Intelligence utilizes evidence-based technology to provide law enforcement a…

ASCLD Train the Director – Digital Forensics: An Overview for the Laboratory Manager

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on January 31, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar will provide an overview of the field of digital forensics for the laboratory administrator. This is part of the ASCLD Train the…

ASCLD Train the Director – Fire Debris Analysis is Not Black Magic!

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 7, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview The webinar will introduce those laboratory managers with fire debris analysis sections to the nuances of fire debris analysis. This is part of the…

Variability in Blow-Fly Development – Research and Implications for PMI Practice

This webinar originally occurred on November 7, 2018 Duration: 2 hours Overview Dr. Leon Higley’s work to characterize blow-fly species indicates that there is variation within a single population–the bell curve is wide. Dr. Higley will share his research and…

Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Human Trafficking Epidemic

This webinar originally occurred on November 1, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview Trafficking in persons is a multi-faceted global epidemic which has seen a significant increase in public awareness. However, there is a substantial need to expand capacities and technologies…

Estimating Blow Fly Age and Reducing Error in Postmortem Interval Cases

This webinar originally occurred on October 24, 2018 Duration: 2 hours Overview Insect evidence can provide valuable information during death investigations. Forensic entomologists estimate the ages of the immature insects like blow flies, which can provide useful information regarding timelines…

New SWGDAM Recommendations on Communicating Likelihood Ratios

This webinar originally occurred on October 18, 2018 Duration: 2 hours Overview SWGDAM recently issued recommendations on genotyping results reported as likelihood ratios, designed to promote consistency among laboratories. Members of the committee will discuss the recommendations and their foundations.…

Novel Forensic Chemistry Research from Early-Career Scientists

This webinar originally occurred on September 19, 2018 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview National Forensic Science Week recognizes the contribution that forensic science makes to the criminal justice system. Throughout the week, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) will be…

Mixtures, Microhaps, and Modeling, Oh My!! Cutting-Edge Research in Forensic DNA Analysis from Early-Career Scientists

This webinar originally occurred on September 18, 2018 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview During National Forensic Science Week, early-career researchers that were awarded FTCOE travel sponsorships to the prestigious Gordon Research Conference and Seminar will present novel projects in forensic DNA…

Humanitarian and Human Rights Resource Center Webinar Series

Overview The Humanitarian and Human Rights Resource Center (HHRRC) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) with support from the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence provides needed resources and support to apply modern forensic science…

Forensic Workforce Resiliency: Vicarious Trauma & Workplace Stress Webinar Series

Overview Professionals throughout the criminal justice system are exposed to the aftermath of violent crime and its victims. These individuals may include forensic nurses, crime scene investigators, forensic practitioners, medicolegal death investigators, and other professionals in related fields. Research has…

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit – an Evidence-informed Resource for Organizations

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on September 13, 2018 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Vicarious trauma is an occupational challenge for forensic science professionals whose work entails continuous contact with victims of crime and violence, and the analysis…

Improving Sexual Assault Response within Special Populations Webinar Series

Overview Creating a victim-centered response to sexual assault within special populations is a critical component of improving support services to victims, maintaining victim engagement in the criminal justice process, and improving sexual assault case outcomes. A victim’s first impression of…

3D-ID-Geometric Morphometric Classification of Crania for Forensic Scientists Software Best Practices

This webinar originally occurred on August 16, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview Attendees will be introduced to the new features of the new software release, how to maximize results, and how to best interpret results for forensic casework application. The…

Providing Gender Inclusive Care to Victims of Sexual Assault

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on August 30, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar will discuss considerations to best serve sexual assault victims of LGBTQ community, particularly transgender survivors, and present case studies to illustrate gender…

Webinar: Identifying Seized Drugs using Mass Spectral Library Searching

This webinar originally occurred on August 7th, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview The rapid spread of designer drugs has introduced significant identification challenges to the forensic science community. This webinar discusses how Mass Spectrometry and the “Hybrid Search” can be…

Three Part Online Workshop Series: Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic

Overview The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) is a world-leading center in novel drug identification and interpretation. The CFSRE is working in association with NIJ’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE), led by RTI International, to deliver…

Webinar: Transition to Impact – Bringing Research to Practice [ARCHIVAL]

Overview Enabling great research to have impact in the forensics community requires transitioning knowledge from the lab to the market. Come learn about the steps you can take to improve the likelihood of your research impacting practice. Technology and knowledge…

Evaluating the Use of DNA Analysis for Family Reunification

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on March 14th, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview DNA analysis allows for testing relationships (kinship) between two individuals in situations that vary from legal immigration to claimed parentage testing. This webinar focuses…

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Kinship Testing Involving Siblings

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred in 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar aims to improve the knowledge on kinship testing involving siblings and provides a cost-benefit analysis of practices involving the use of additional reference siblings…

Regional Fentanyl Trends, Safety & Field Testing Technology

← Back to Series  Overview Regional fentanyl trends in Phoenix and Pittsburgh will be discussed along with safety concerns with unknown white powders. Handheld field testing technology will also be discussed including RAMAN and IMS. This webinar will discuss trends…

2018 IPTES Plenary – Closing Keynote Speaker Adam Benforado

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Trace Evidence Breakout Day 2 PM

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Trace Evidence Breakout Day 2 AM – Part 2

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Trace Evidence Breakout Day 2 AM – Part 1

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Impression & Pattern Breakout – Day 2 PM

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Impression & Pattern Breakout Day 2 AM – Part 2

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Impression & Pattern Breakout Day 2 AM – Part 1

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/25/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Trace Evidence Breakout Day 1 PM

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/24/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES – Impression & Pattern Breakout Day 1 PM

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/24/2018. The National Institute…

2018 IPTES Plenary – Statistics & Testimony From Practitioner

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities.This original Live Webinar took place on 01/24/2018. The National Institute of…

2018 IPTES Plenary – Opening Remarks & Statistical Approaches

Overview IPTES was designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern, and trace evidence analysts, law enforcement, and legal communities. This original Live Webinar took place on 01/24/2018. The National Institute…

Webinar: A Close Look at 3D Microscopy for Firearms Identification [Archival]

Overview Firearms identification is undergoing a major change in capability with the adoption of optical topography, which provides a 3D view of the surface of a bullet or cartridge case to capture the full range of subclass and individual characteristics.…

The NC Statewide Medical Examiner System Laboratory Approach

← Back to Series  Overview This webinar will focus on the North Carolina Medical Examiner System and the toxicology laboratory that serves the system. Included will be information on the changing landscape of death certification and changes to the laboratory…

The Industry’s Role in Responding to the Opioid Crisis

← Back to Series  Overview This webinar will describe the role that the reference material manufacturer plays by providing the tools needed to respond to the current opioid epidemic. Whether by rapidly providing authentic reference standards of novel emerging drugs…

Predict Human Appearance From DNA Focusing On Pigmentation

← Back to Series  This webinar originally occurred on October 25, 2017 Duration: 2 hours Overview Principles, methods and applications of DNA-based prediction of human appearance traits for forensic and anthropological use with specific insights into eye, hair, and skin…

Making The Case For Prevention: Fighting The Opioid Epidemic

← Back to Series  Overview This webinar focuses on universal and primary prevention efforts to address prescription drug misuse and abuse; and the use of innovative analytic techniques to evaluate their effectiveness. The current response to the opioid epidemic has…

Opioids and Death Investigation: A “Perfect Storm”

← Back to Series  Overview The scope of the opioid epidemic presents unprecedented challenges to the medical examiner and coroner community. This webinar will explore the intersection of the opioid epidemic with the work of America’s medical examiners and coroners.…

Dreamland – Sam Quinones Explores America’s Opiate Epidemic

← Back to Series  Overview Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and author of three books of narrative nonfiction. His latest book is Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic (Bloomsbury, 2015), for which he traveled across…

Fentalogs – Pharmacology, Toxicology & Analytical Approaches

← Back to Series  Overview We will review the chemistry of fentanyl, its analogs and precursors, their pharmacology and relative potency, and approaches to identifying novel fentanyl analogs in forensic toxicology casework. Fentanyl and its analogs, sometimes called “The Fentalogs”,…

Webinar: Automotive Paint Binders Using Infrared Spectroscopy

Overview This lecture describes the identification of automotive paint binders using infrared spectroscopy, with an emphasis on key absorptions to seek when examining such spectra. Infrared spectroscopy is one of the main tools used by the forensic paint examiner to…

Identify Synthetic Opioids using Ambient Ionization TOF-MS

← Back to Series  Overview This webinar will present the results of the evaluation of Direct Sample Analysis Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to provide rapid identification of eighteen fentanyl analogs and related synthetic opioid. As of March 2016, the Drug Enforcement…

2016 National Institute of Justice Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium

Date July 2016 Overview The 2016 NIJ Research and Development Symposium is intended to promote collaboration and enhance knowledge transfer of NIJ-funded research. The NIJ Research and Development (R&D) Program funds both basic or applied R&D projects that will (1)…

Conference Proceedings: 2015 Impression, Pattern, and Trace Evidence Symposium

Date December 2015 Overview This report was published in RTI Press, a global publisher of peer-reviewed, open-access publications on a broad range of topics. The areas of focus reflect RTI’s multidisciplinary research, our expertise in social and laboratory sciences, and our…

HHRRC – Stable Isotope Forensics & Unknown Persons Investigations

← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on May 24, 2017 Duration: 2 hours Overview This webinar discussed applications of stable isotope analysis for predicting region of origin of unidentified border crossers found within the United States. Participants will…

ASCLD Webinar Series: DNA Standards and Guidelines Part 2

This webinar originally occurred on May 25, 2017 Duration: 2 hours Overview Forensic DNA Analysis, and in particular interpreting complex DNA mixtures and calculating statistics, can be challenging. The technology is ever more sensitive and analysts are testing a wider…

HHRRC – Analysis and Conservation of Human Remains in Cambodia

← Back to Series The webinar originally occurred on May 16th, 2017 Duration: 1 hour Overview This presentation provides an introduction to the work conducted in Cambodia to analyze/preserve human remains from violence committed by the Khmer Rouge. Specifically the…

Utilization of Organic Constituents into GSR Analysis

Overview Suzanne Bell of West Virginia University (WVU, Departments of Chemistry and Forensic Science) presents on the utilization of organic constituents into gunshot residue analysis. This innovative technology involves experimental and modeling studies used to elucidate characteristics of skin permeation…

ASCLD Webinar Series: DNA Standards and Guidelines Part 1

Overview This webinar was targeted to DNA Supervisors, DNA Technical Leaders, Quality Mangers, and DNA Analysts. There was also a question and answer period after the presentation. Forensic DNA Analysis, and in particular interpreting complex DNA mixtures and calculating statistics,…

2013 R&D: Straight to the Bone: Advances in Forensic Anthropology

Overview This archival portion of the 2013 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: • Improving Sex Estimation from Crania using 3-Dimensional CT Scans – Natalie Shirley • Independent Validation Test of Microscopic Saw Mark Analysis – Jennifer Love • A…

2016 NSAPS: Panel 3 – Investigating Sexual Assault Webinar [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. The panel highlighted the complexities of investigating sexual assault cases and…

Basics of Microbiology as they Apply to Forensics

Overview Dr. Bruce Budowle, of the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and Dr. Dana Kadavy, Director of Biological Sciences at Signature Science, LLC, presented on microbiology, pathogens, human microbiome, and genetic engineering/synthetic biology. Participants will gain a better…

Understanding Basic Statistical Concepts: Fingerprints

Overview Fingerprint conclusions are expert judgments. These specific types of judgments may be more appropriately termed as inferences, or subjective probabilities, where frequency rates have not been able to be calculated. For over a hundred years researchers have attempted to…

Genome ID Forum 2014 – The Critical Role of SNPs in the Future of Forensics

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, this presentation appraises the potential value of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) as applied to forensic analysis, including ancestry inference, phenotypic inference and individual identification. The discussion focuses strongly on the relevance…

Technical Advances in the Visual Documentation of Crime Scenes

Overview Practitioners overview various scanning technologies. An introduction is provided by Michelle Peace and Lyndsay Durham, and Marilyn Miller provides the context of documentation. The Virginia Department of Forensic Science reviews SceneVision-Panorama, Roanoke and Arlington County Police Departments reviews Panoscan,…

R&D 2014 – Fundamental Forensic Science Research-Part II

Overview This archival portion of the 2014 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: Quantitative Metrics of Friction Ridge Detail Derived from Information Theory by Thomas Busey Definition of the Concept of Sufficiency in Latent Print Examination by Cedric Neumann…

R&D 2014 – Fundamental Forensic Science Research – Part I

Overview This archival portion of the 2014 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: Review on some Fluid Dynamics Aspects of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis – Daniel Attinger From Basic Research to Routine Use in the Courtroom: Elemental Analysis and Comparisons…

Webinar: Structuring Best Practices– Practitioner Stakeholder Meeting [Archival]

Overview At the request of the National Institute of Justice, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) leads a comprehensive federal effort to organize and transfer knowledge and best practices of sexual assault nurse examiners, sexual assault forensic examiners, and…

Webinar: SANE/SAFE/SART Federal Stakeholder Meeting [Archival]

Overview On May 14, 2014 the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) convened a federal stakeholder meeting entitled, “Organizing and Transferring SANE/SAFE/SART Knowledge and Best Practices” at the RTI location in Washington D.C. The FTCOE leads a comprehensive federal effort…

Webinar: Regioisomer Differentiation for Substances Using GC-IR [Archival]

Overview Forensic examiners are called upon to conduct detailed chemical analyses of drugs, precursors, and related chemicals that may be present with imposter substances, isomers, or other compounds that may interfere with analysis. Gas chromotograph mass spectrometry (GCMS) has been…

Genome ID Forum 2014 – Proteomics: Multiplex Assay to Identify Biological Stains

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, this archived presentation discusses the development and validation of a rapid multiplex assay for the identification of biological stains using comparative proteomics. Current serological techniques, although historically utilized and relied upon…

Webinar: Project FORESIGHT Overview [Archival]

Overview Participating laboratories have been able to increase efficiency, reduce turnover, increase internal satisfaction and corresponding compensation, and reconsider strategic priorities for enhanced contributions to the justice system. In this webinar, Project FORESIGHT is detailed along with several success stories…

2013 R&D: Postmortem Interval and Molecular Autopsy – Part II [Archival]

Overview This archival portion of the 2013 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: Applications of Curvilinear Development Modeling for the Blow Fly Lucilia Sericota – Leon Higley Investigating Unexplained Deaths through Molecular Autopsies – Yingying Tang A certificate of…

2013 R&D: Postmortem Interval and Molecular Autopsy – Part I [Archival]

Overview This archival portion of the 2013 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: Microbial Community Change Associated with Decomposing Corpses – Rob Knight Using Differential RNA Degradation to Estimate an Extended Postmortem Interval – Joshua Moore A certificate of…

Webinar: Pills & Particles – Toxicology and Linking Trace Evidence [Archival]

Overview This archival portion of the 2013 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: Prediction of Drug Interactions with Methadone, Buprenorphine and Oxycodone from in vitro Inhibition of Metabolism – David Moody Pattern Recognition Assisted Infrared Library Searching to Enhance…

Webinar: R&D 2014 – Novel Techniques and Tools for Forensic Analysis – Part II [Archival]

Overview These archival presentations are part of a Seminar Series from the presenters that were involved in the 2014 NIJ Grantees Conference held in Seattle, Washington. This session hosted the following presenters: Fluorescent metal Indicators for the Presumptive Identification of…

Webinar: R&D 2014 – Novel Techniques and Tools for Forensic Analysis – Part I [Archival]

Overview This archival portion of the 2014 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: Combining Strontium and Oxygen Isotope Ratios of Hair for Human Provenancing from Brett Tipple. The Evaluation of Laser Diode Thermal Desorption (LDTD) for High Throughput Analysis…

Webinar: Genome ID Forum 2014 – National Commission on Forensic Science & OSAC – 2014 Update [Archival]

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, John Butler from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides an update on the current activities of the National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) and Organization of Scientific Area…

R&D 2014 – Models in Forensic DNA & Pathology Part II

Overview This archival portion of the 2014 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: • New Pediatric Head Injury Assessment Tool for Possible Child Abuse Cases Considering Subject-Specific Child Head Anatomy – Dr. Jingwen Hu • Investigation of the Impact…

R&D 2014 – Models in Forensic DNA & Pathology – Part I

Overview This archival portion of the 2014 R&D Seminar Series covers the following presentations: • Modeling 3D Facial Shape from DNA – Dr. Mark Shriver • Pediatric Fracture Printing: Creating a Science of Statistical Fracture Signature Analysis – Dr. Todd…

Webinar: Managing Customer Expectations and Education [Archival]

Overview This archived webinar is the third in ASCLD’s webinar series, “Confronting Crime Laboratory Backlogs: Causes, Solutions, Expectations.” Laboratories can better manage customer expectations and work collaboratively with them to economize and prioritize the delivery of forensic science services in…

Genome ID Forum 2014 – Legal Perspective on the Adoption of Advanced Technologies

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, Ted Hunt, chief trial attorney in the prosecuting attorney’s office in Kansas City, Missouri, brings a fresh legal perspective to addressing the adoption of advanced DNA analysis technologies for forensic crime laboratories.…

Latent Fingerprints: Reducing Erroneous Exclusions

Overview This presentation discusses reducing erroneous exclusions in latent fingerprints. The exclusion decision is a fairly recent change in latent print comparisons, and the discipline is still struggling with how to handle exclusions. Erroneous exclusions are being discovered with surprising…

Latent Fingerprints: Developing Methods and New Technology

Overview The first presentation given by Mark Dadmun is titled: Developing Methods to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Latent Fingermark Development by Superglue Fuming. The second presentation given by Igor Pacheco and Brian Cerchiai titled: A Research Study for…

Webinar: Investigating Sexual Violence – Policy Forum: Emerging Solutions and Best Practices [Archival]

Overview This is the archival version of a two-hour Policy and Practices Forum which brings together experienced and knowledgeable subject matter experts in various fields contributing to the investigation and processing of cases involving sexual violence. The investigation of sexual…

Webinar: How to Increase your Staff without Increasing Budget [Archival]

Overview This archival webinar, the sixth in ASCLD’s webinar series, Confronting Crime Laboratory Backlogs: Causes, Solutions, Expectations. This webinar covers the methods for increasing your staff without increasing your budget. These methods have been proven successful within a state government…

Genome ID Forum 2014 – HD SNP Array for Forensic Casework

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, Dr. Sandra Close presents her latest research, the application of high density SNP array technology applied to forensic casework. Dr. Close presents an overview of the platform, including chemistry, assay and…

Fingerprint Identification: Reliability and Accuracy

Overview New technology is constantly being tested by Researchers and Developers to help this vital tool move forward in today’s society. These new technologies will assist in furthering the accuracy and reliability of using latent fingerprints. Our featured presentations for…

Familial DNA Searching: Current Approaches – Part IV

Overview This four-part panel discussion series will elucidate the current landscape of policies and procedures addressing familial DNA searching. Part IV In this particular session, the discussion focused around current technical protocols including software considerations, candidate thresholds derived by likelihood…

Familial DNA Searching: Current Approaches – Part III

Overview This four-part panel discussion series will elucidate the current landscape of policies and procedures addressing familial DNA searching. Part III In this particular session, the discussion focused around the process of investigative follow up from these leads including costs…

Familial DNA Searching: Current Approaches – Part II

Overview This four-part panel discussion series will elucidate the current landscape of policies and procedures addressing familial DNA searching. Part II In this particular session, the discussion topic was focused around current existing protocols and specifically address questions such as:…

Familial DNA Searching: Current Approaches – Part I

Overview This four-part panel discussion series will elucidate the current landscape of policies and procedures addressing familial DNA searching. Part I These discussions were used to generate a report designed to educate legal professionals, policy makers, law enforcement and forensic…

Webinar: Expansion of Microbial Forensics [Archival]

Overview Dr. Bruce Budowle, of the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and Dr. Heather Jordan, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Mississippi State University, presented on biocrime, postmortem interval and agroterrorism. Participants will gain a better understanding of…

Webinar: Evaluating Transfers of Materials and their Significance [Archival]

Overview This archived one-hour webinar covers basic principles of trace evidence that serve as decision-making tools for forensic scientists to use in examining, sampling, testing and evaluating associative evidence. How strong is an association when evidence is being examined, and…

Genome ID Forum 2014 – Emerging Technologies for Human Remains Identification

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, an overview of the Laboratory’s new Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) instrumentation and protocol development is discussed including experimental design utilizing multiple forensic markers and the impact on sample processing. A certificate…

Webinar: Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) Workshop [Archival]

Overview This is the archival version of the two-day workshop hosted by the SOFT Continuing Education and Drug-Facilitated Crimes Committees with the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault on August 11-12, 2014 in Washington DC.…

Webinar: Developing a Statewide Approach to Backlog Management [Archival]

Overview This archival is the final webinar in this ASCLD’s webinar series on Confronting Crime Laboratory Backlogs: Causes, Solutions, Expectations. This webinar takes participants from defining their customers and demonstrating how to establishing two way relationships with them, to developing…

Crime Scene Imaging: A Practitioner’s Perspective

Overview This is an archival version of a web based panel discussion of forensic practitioners. These practitioners have adopted and implemented one of three panoramic crime scene imaging technologies, SceneVision-Panorama, Panoscan MK-3, and Leica ScanStationC10. The goal of this event…

Webinar: Crime Lab Backlogs – The Impact on Justice Policy Forum [Archival]

Overview This is the archival version of a Policy Forum presented by the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence focusing on the key factors playing a role in our nations crime laboratory backlog. Forensic science laboratories are under siege. Ever-increasing volumes…

Collecting Footwear and Tire Impressions in Snow

Overview From footwear to tire to snowmobile impressions, snow impressions can provide extremely valuable evidence in helping to resolve criminal investigations. Unfortunately, photographing and obtaining a cast of a snow impression is often a challenge for the crime scene examiner.…

Webinar: Genome ID Forum 2014 – Challenges to Implementation of New Technologies at North Carolina State Crime Laboratory [Archival]

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, this presentation by John Byrd, the director of the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory, discusses the challenges and changes the crime laboratory has experienced since 2009. Factors such as caseload volume,…

Case Acceptance Policies and Guidelines Webinar [Archival]

Overview This archived webinar, the fourth in ASCLD’s webinar series – Confronting Crime Laboratory Backlogs: Causes, Solutions, Expectations – covers laboratory case management practices and the policies that are put into place to control the intake of evidence. A significant…

Webinar: Best Practices – Sexual Assault Investigations Policy Forum [Archival]

Overview This forum focused on emerging techniques and developments associated with evidence collection training, evidence analysis utilizing Y-STR capabilities and victim-centric care approaches (e.g., understanding the neurobiology of the victim in sexual assault). Presentations in this forum discussed development of…

Webinar: Best Practices in Sexual Assault Cases [Archival]

Overview In the ongoing struggle to protect would-be victims from sexual predators, great advances are being made in forensic nursing research and practice, from strangulation assessment to the photographic documentation of injuries and beyond. Valerie Krasneski-Schreiber, unit director of the…

ASCLD Webinar Series: FBI Allele Frequency – Managers & Legal Overview

Overview Crime Laboratories have earned a position of public trust over time through providing reliable quality results. Keeping public trust includes being self-correcting once an issue is discovered. The Federal Bureau of Investigation allele frequency amendments is an opportunity to…

ASCLD Webinar Series: FBI Allele Frequency Amendments – Technical Discussion

Overview Crime Laboratories have earned a position of public trust over time through providing reliable quality results. Keeping public trust includes being self-correcting once an issue is discovered. The Federal Bureau of Investigation allele frequency amendments is an opportunity to…

ASCLD Webinar Series: Controlled Substances [Archival]

Overview ASCLD Webinar Series Part III: This course serves as an overview of the controlled substances discipline for the crime laboratory administration. This course serves as an overview of the controlled substances discipline for the crime laboratory administration. This webinar…

ASCLD Webinar Series: Rapid DNA, the QAS and NDIS Part I

Overview The American Society of Crime Lab Directors, along with RTI International, have produced this webinar series designed to investigate the validation, current use, and future implementation of Rapid DNA. This is the first archival of this three-part series that…

ASCLD Webinar Series: DNA Mixtures Managers Overview

Overview Complex DNA mixtures from more than two individuals and/or profiles amplified with low-level quantities of DNA, can be challenging for the analyst to interpret. Dr. Coble first provided an overview of the technical issues with mixture interpretation including statistical…

Genome ID Forum 2014 – Applications of Emerging Technologies NIST

Overview Originally presented at the 2014 Genome ID Forum, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SRMs includes the PCR based DNA profiling standard which covers 51 autosomal and 17 Y chromosome markers, mitochondrial DNA sequencing standards and the…

A General Framework for the Estimation of Likelihood Ratios

Overview This talk provides a very general framework for the estimation of likelihood ratios using similarity or dissimilarity scores resulting from a comparison of two patterns that overcome this deficiency for suitably chosen similarity measures. In such instances, the likelihood…

2017 NIJ R&D Series Impression, Pattern, & Trace Evidence

Overview The NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium was a free and open meeting where attendees learned about NIJ-funded research across a variety of forensic science areas. Morning Session I – Impression, Pattern & Trace Evidence Speakers & Presentations…

Webinar: 2017 NIJ R&D Series Controlled Substances & Toxicology [Archival]

Overview The NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium was a free and open meeting where attendees learned about NIJ-funded research across a variety of forensic science areas. Afternoon Session II – Controlled Substances & Toxicology Speakers & Presentations for…

2017 NIJ R&D Series Anthropology & Microbial Forensics

Overview The NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium was a free and open meeting where attendees learned about NIJ-funded research across a variety of forensic science areas. Afternoon Session I – Anthropology & Microbial Forensics Speakers & Presentations for…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Video – Nevada SA Kit Backlog Working Group [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. Following the debut screening of “Progress on Testing Sexual Assault Kits,”…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 9 – Funding & Resources to Solve SA Cases [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. The panel highlighted some of the major national funding sources for…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 8 – Building an Efficient Laboratory [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. The panelists discussed how research and development drives new technology and…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 7 – Testing Sexual Assault Evidence [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. Panelists took a look inside evidence testing and decision making at…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 6 – An Unbelievable Story of Rape [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. Panelists discussed the investigation behind the story and how law enforcement…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 5 – The Role of Evidence in SA Cases [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. This panel examined the complexities of evidence in sexual assault cases.…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 4 – Legislative Reform on Sexual Assault [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. This panel discussed new legislative and policy reforms undertaken or underway…

2016 NSAPS Panel 2 – Victim-Centered Approaches

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. The audience learned how first responders such as medical staff, victims’…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Panel 10 – Collaboration to Improve SA Response [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. The panel showcased how a multi-disciplinary team addressed a large number…

2016 NSAPS Panel 1 – Immediate Aftermath of Sexual Assault

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. This panel provided an overview of how a traumatic event like…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Day 2 – Opening Remarks [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. Day two of the National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium started with…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Day 2 – Guest Speaker with Alicia D. O’Neill [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium had the pleasure of hosting…

Webinar: 2016 NSAPS Day 1 – Opening Remarks [Archival]

Overview The National Institute of Justice, through its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence hosted “Looking Ahead: The National Sexual Assault Policy Symposium” on September 8-9, 2016, in Washington D.C. This group of esteemed speakers kicked off the 2016 National Sexual…

Webinar: 2016 NIJ R&D Series Controlled Substances & Toxicology [Archival]

Overview Afternoon Session II: Controlled Substances & Toxicology The NIJ Research and Development (R&D) Program funds both basic or applied R&D projects that will: (1) increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science policy and practice, or…

Utility of 3D Scanning Technologies Workshop

Overview This 2-day workshop focused on introducing or enhancing forensic science practitioner’s knowledge and capabilities of 3D crime scene documentation technologies. Topics discussed include: Scope and utility of Leica ScanStation C10 and Faro Focus Strengths and limitations of each instrument…

Webinar: u-XRF of glass – Practical Explanation of ASTM E2926 [Archival]

Recent studies have shown that micro-XRF is a very discriminating technique for glass samples. ASTM method E2926-13 (Standard Test Method for Forensic Comparison of Glass Using Micro X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry) was developed based on this research to assist analysts in…