ISO/TC 272 - Forensic sciences

This document defines terms used for the different components of the forensic process from scene to courtroom (as illustrated in Figure A.1).

This document specifies requirements and provides recommendations for reporting of forensic work. This document is applicable to the reporting of forensic work performed at a scene and within a facility. The requirements facilitate the preparation and issuing of reports that are accurate, clear, transparent, complete, unambiguous, impartial and suitable for their intended use. This document also includes requirements relating to the review of case records and reports, the issuance and control of reports, and requirements related to testimony.

This document specifies requirements and provides recommendations for the interpretation of observations to reach opinions that answer questions that are relevant for decision making in investigations or legal proceedings. This document states requirements that are applicable to all forensic disciplines. This document states requirements that apply when the opinion is based directly on human judgement and when the opinion is based on interpretation through a statistical model. This document is applicable to interpretation that occurs at a scene, within a facility, or within a judicial setting. This document establishes requirements designed to safeguard the process for the interpretation of observations including the use of either statistical models or human judgement, to address alternative propositions based on the questions asked by the customer. Interpretation is not necessary and the requirements of this document do not apply if the observations resulting from the analysis directly answer the relevant question. EXAMPLE In analytical chemistry, substances are often identified or classified. Provided that the applied analytical methods are not limited in selectivity or sensitivity for the given question, the observations can lead to a direct statement of the name of the substance (identification) or a type of material (classification). This is not considered interpretation for the purposes of this document.

This document specifies requirements and provides recommendations to safeguard the process for the analysis of items of potential forensic value. It includes requirements and recommendations for the selection and application of suitable method(s) for the analysis to meet the needs of the customer and fulfil the request. The requirements are designed to ensure the use of suitable methods, proper controls, qualified personnel and appropriate analytical strategies throughout the forensic analysis of items. This document is applicable to activities conducted by a forensic service provider that occur at the scene and within a facility. This document is applicable to all disciplines of forensic science; however, it is not applicable to the recovery of digital data which is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. The requirements and recommendations facilitate the comprehensive, accurate and reliable analysis of items.

This document specifies requirements for the forensic process focusing on recognition, recording, collection, transport and storage of items of potential forensic value. It includes requirements for the assessment and examination of scenes but is also applicable to activities that occur within the facility. This document also includes quality requirements. This document is not applicable to procedures for the recovery of data from digital storage media which is covered by ISO/IEC 27037. However, the storage medium itself can yield additional items of forensic value (e.g. fingerprints or DNA). Annex D shows the applicability of this document to the forensic process.

This document defines terms used in the ISO 21043 series of standards.

ISO 18385:2016 specifies requirements for the production of products used in the collection, storage, and analysis of biological material for forensic DNA purposes, but not those consumables and reagents used in post-amplification analysis. The consumables and reagents covered by this International Standard include those used for evidence collection (sampling kits), such as swabs, containers, and packaging, and also products used in the analysis of DNA samples, such as tubes and other plasticware, disposable laboratory coats, gloves, and other consumables. ISO 18385:2016 applies to the production of consumables and reagents which do not require cleaning for continued use. This International Standard does not cover technical product specifications (i.e. product design). ISO 18385:2016 excludes microbiological testing. ISO 18385:2016 specifies a requirement for manufacturers to minimize the risk of occurrence of detectable human nuclear DNA contamination in products used by the global forensic community.