Forensic Science — page 2 of 2

Forensic Science terms

101. Laboratory a facility (1) employing at least two full-time employees who are qualified DNA analysts and (2) having and maintaining the capability to perform the DNA…
102. Laboratory Director (or Administrative) Case File Review a detailed final review of the case file documentation. A member other than the assigned analyst must conduct the Laboratory Director case file review on…
103. Laboratory Personnel ADFS members with specific laboratory responsibilities.
104. Laboratory Satellite a member of a laboratory system that is managed by, but is physically separated from, a parent or regional laboratory.
105. Laboratory support personnel employees who perform laboratory duties exclusive of analytical techniques on database and/or known samples.
106. Laboratory System an organization containing at least two physically separate laboratory facilities that are independently managed under the control of a single superior in…
107. Lacerations anything that has been torn roughly for example: a rough cut.
108. Limited Access access limited to personnel authorized by the laboratory director.
109. Manner of death death occurs in one of four manners: natural, if caused solely by disease; accidental, if it occurs without apparent intent; suicide, if caused by the…
110. Mass spectrometers an instrument used to both measure and analyze molecules under study. The process involves introducing enough energy into a target molecule to cause its…
111. Mass spectrometry this technique can be used to both measure and analyze molecules under study. It involves introducing enough energy into a target molecule to cause its…
112. Medical Examiner government official, always a physician and often a forensic pathologist, charged with investigating sudden and unexpected deaths or deaths from injuries.
113. method the course of action or technique followed in conducting a specific analysis or comparison leading to an analytical result.
114. NDIS The National DNA Index System. NDIS is one component of CODIS—the national and highest-level index containing the DNA records contributed from…
115. Notes the documentation of procedures, standards, control and instruments used, observations made, results of tests performed, charts, graphs, photographs…
116. Objective a measurable, definable accomplishment that furthers the goals of the organization.
117. Offender An individual who is required by statute to submit a sample for DNA analysis and databasing.
118. Open Proficiency Test an exam process/instrument where the analyst is aware that the sample is a proficiency test.
119. Operations Manual a document stating procedures and protocols dealing with the day-to-day issues of ADFS business that does not deal directly with evidence or work product.
120. peer an individual having expertise in a specific functional area or discipline gained through documented training and experience.
121. Performance Audits the review of laboratory administration, management, sections and/or analysts for compliance with policies, procedures, and operational effectiveness…
122. Policy The contract form issued by the company to explain the coverage provided. It is a legal document.
123. Population the totality of items or units of material under consideration.
124. Postmortem After death. Often used to describe an autopsy.
125. Principle a basic rule, assumption or quality; a fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.
126. Probability The chance that an event occurs. It is usually expressed as a percent. Zero percent denotes impossibility, while 100% denotes certainty.
127. procedure The rules for the conduct of a lawsuit; there are rules of civil, criminal, evidence, bankruptcy, and appellate procedure.
128. Process Development the act of defining and describing a process. It may include planning, architecture, design, implementation, and validation.
129. Proficiency Test a process to evaluate the competence of an analyst/laboratory by evaluation of the results obtained on test materials.
130. Proper seal a seal that prevents loss, cross-transfer, or contamination while ensuring that attempted entry into the container is detectable.
131. Property Inventory the physical accounting of capital equipment.
132. protocol An action plan for a clinical trial. The plan states what the study will do, how, and why.
133. Pulmonary Edema an abnormal buildup of fluid in the air sacs of the lungs.
134. Qualifying Test measures proficiency in both technical skills and knowledge. Also known as Competency Test.
135. Qualitative analysis When a securities analyst evaluates intangible factors, such as the integrity and experience of a company's management, the positioning of its products…
136. Quality The degree to which a health or social service meets or exceeds established professional standards and user expectations.
137. Quality Assessment the overall system of activities designed to provide assurance that quality control activities are effective.
138. Quality Assurance those planned and systematic actions necessary to provide sufficient confidence that a laboratory’s product or service will satisfy given requirements…
139. Quality Audit a management tool used to evaluate and confirm activities related to quality.
140. Quality Control A system of safeguards to ensure that loans are originated, underwritten and serviced according to the lender's standards and, if applicable, the…
141. Quality Manager the individual designated by top management having authority and responsibility to ensure that the requirements of the ADFS quality system are implemented…
142. Quality Manual a document stating the quality policy and describing the various elements of the quality system and quality practices of the laboratory system.
143. Quality System the organizational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes, and resources for implementing quality management
144. Random 1) having no specific pattern 2) produced by chance or unplanned in nature
145. Re-Examination Technique exhibits (the questioned and known items of original evidence) of a previously analyzed case are examined and a conclusion reached by the reviewer, prior…
146. Reagent a substance that, because of the reactions it causes, is used in analysis and synthesis.
147. Reagent blank control an analytical control sample that contains no template DNA and is used to monitor contamination from extraction to final fragment or sequence analysis.
148. Reference Standard a sample acquired or prepared that has known properties for the purpose of calibrating equipment and/or for use as a control in experiments
149. Reliability The consistency of a measure or question in obtaining very similar or identical results when used repeatedly; for example, if you repeated a blood test…
150. Report Formatted output of a system providing specific information.
151. Retinal Hemorrhage Abnormal bleeding of the blood vessels in the retina, the membrane in the back of the eye.
152. Rigor mortis Stiffening of the body after death; a time dependent change that helps determine time of death.
153. Root Cause Analysis the process of determining the underlying cause of a problem which might warrant corrective action.
154. Rule an authoritative direction for conduct or procedure.
155. Safety & Security Inspections the review or audit of procedures and equipment to ensure the safety and security of laboratory personnel and facilities
156. Scene an area, object, or person external to the examining forensic laboratory facility, from which evidence is identified, documented, collected, and/or…
157. Science A systematic gathering of knowledge. The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation and the theoretical explanation of phenomena.
158. Scientific method Procedures for the systematic gathering of knowledge. These procedures generally involve: state the problem develop a hypothesis test the hypothesis form…
159. Scientist A person who has studied science, especially one who is active in a particular field of investigation.
160. Section Evidence Area a secured room or cabinet for temporary storage of evidence by analysts.
161. Secure area a locked space (for example, cabinet, vault or room) with access restricted to personnel authorized by the laboratory director.
162. Seminal pertaining to or containing or consisting of semen; "seminal fluid".
163. Serology The branch of science dealing with the measurement and characterization of antibodies and other immunological substances in body fluids, particularly…
164. Solvents liquids, usually petroleum based, that can dissolve solids and keep them in solution. May contribute to pollution through evaporation.
165. Spatter dispersion of small blood droplets due to the forceful projection of blood.
166. Standard a statement that describes an acceptable level of performance, excellence, or attainment in that particular activity.
167. Stippling A disposition of fragments of powder into the skin as the result of a gunshot wound of relatively close range.
168. Subarachnoid hemorrhage bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain.
169. Subdural hematoma A collection of blood on the surface of the brain.
170. Submission any single delivery of evidence in a specific investigation.
171. Submitting Agency any agency that submits evidence for examination to any ADFS office. Also referred to as the “Contributing Agency, Contributor, or Customer”.
172. Supervised Casework analysis performed by a member under the supervision of a certified analyst. This is generally performed as part of training or as part of an assessment…
173. Technical Casework Review the detailed technical review of bench notes, data, observations and analytical results that form the basis for the scientific conclusion(s).
174. Technical Operations laboratory activities specific to a discipline directly related to the analysis or examination of evidence for the purpose of providing information in a…
175. Technical Operations Manual protocols developed for analyses, examination, comparison, or identification that prescribes the Good Analytical Practice in a discipline.
176. Testability a critical evaluation process that supports or refutes a hypothesis.
177. Testable to be proven true or false.
178. Testimony Review the observation, evaluation, and feedback from the sworn testimony given by a staff member as part of his/her normal job duties.
179. Theorem an idea accepted or proposed as demonstrable truth; often as part of a general theory.
180. Theory most logical explanation of an event that occurs in nature.
181. Tissue (TISH-oo) A group or layer of cells that work together to perform a specific function.
182. Tomography (toh-MAH-gruh-fee) A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.
183. Toxicology (forensic science discipline) analysis of biological samples for the presence of drugs and other potentially toxic materials.
184. Trace Evidence Examples of trace evidence could be hair, fibers, paint chips, glass fragments, etc.
185. Traceability the property of a result of a measurement whereby it can be related to appropriate standards, generally international or national standards, through an…
186. Training Program a written description of activities to be performed by a trainee status member of the Forensic Laboratory for the purpose of enhancing job-related…
187. Trauma (TRAW-muh) Injury to the body, or an event that causes long-lasting mental or emotional damage.
188. turnaround time the total time a Service Request is in the laboratory, from its receipt at Evidence Intake until a formal report is issued
189. Universal Precautions an approach to infection control. According to the concept of Universal Precautions, all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known…
190. Validation is the process of performing a set of experiments that establish the efficacy and reliability of a technique or procedure or modification thereof.
191. Verification To confirm the truth or correctness of something. Vitreous humor – The ocular fluid (from within the eye) that is often used as a sample for testing in…