ACCA Quality Assurance

Slide1: 

Janet M. Girten Deputy Laboratory Director Forensic Science Center at Chicago October 31, 2006

Slide2: 

Forensic Science And Quality Assurance

Agenda: 

Agenda Personal Background Overview of the Illinois State Police Quality Assurance What is it? Why do we need it? Scientist level Laboratory level Global level Summary

Personal Background: 

Personal Background Born and raised in Chicago BS Biology, College of St. Francis Passed Chemistry only with the help of Salim!!!!! MS Forensic Science in progress, University at Illinois, Chicago

Professional Background: 

Professional Background Hired in 1987, Joliet Laboratory Chemist for 4 years First Scientist to be crossed trained in another discipline as a latent print examiner 1996 Transferred to the newly built Chicago Lab Group supervisor of Latent print section 1999 Promoted to Section Chief firearms/toolmark, latent prints 2003 Promoted to Deputy Lab Director Criminalistics-latents, firearms Biochemistry-DNA, Trace Chemistry

Slide6: 

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE IS THE THIRD LARGEST FORENSIC SYSTEM IN THE WORLD

Slide7: 

SCOTLAND YARD FBI LABORATORY

Illinois State Police Forensic Sciences CommandProvide all forensic services that are needed to the citizens of the state of Illinois: 

Illinois State Police Forensic Sciences Command Provide all forensic services that are needed to the citizens of the state of Illinois

Slide9: 

10 Laboratories state wide Rockford Chicago Westchester Joliet Peoria Springfield East St. Louis Carbondale Training Laboratory Research & Development Laboratory

Forensic Disciplines: 

Forensic Disciplines Latent Fingerprints Footwear/Tiretrack Firearm/Toolmarks Forensic Biology DNA Drug chemistry Trace chemistry Toxicology Questioned Documents

Forensic Science Center at Chicago1996: 

Forensic Science Center at Chicago 1996

Forensic Science Center at Chicago: 

Forensic Science Center at Chicago

What is forensic science?What is the goal?: 

What is forensic science? What is the goal?

Forensic Science Analysis: 

Forensic Science Analysis

ANALYSISTO TESTIMONY: 

ANALYSIS TO TESTIMONY

Slide16: 

STATE OF CALIFORNIA VS OJ SIMPSON

That trial was a pivotal point for forensics. : 

That trial was a pivotal point for forensics.

COURT TV: 

COURT TV Continuous live coverage Legal experts Expectation of conclusive physical evidence

Slide21: 

FORENSICS INTO THE HEARTS AND MIND OF THE JUROR

Prior to OJ: 

Prior to OJ Defense attorneys would question the police officers on their: CREDIBILITY INTEGRITY

After OJ: 

After OJ Defense Attorneys now question forensic scientists on their: CREDIBILITY INTEGRITY

QUALITY ASSURANCE: 

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality Assurance: 

Quality Assurance Quality is defined as accurate, complete and timely analysis. Quality Services begins with the initial contact with law enforcement, continues thru the analysis and ends with courtroom testimony.

Quality Assurance program multi-faceted: 

Quality Assurance program multi-faceted Forensic Scientist Casework Laboratory Audits System Accreditation

Forensic Scientist: 

Forensic Scientist Personality Traits Honest Ethical Unbiased Dedicated Career oriented Hiring Process & Ongoing Background checks Polygraph Random drug checks Repeated criminal history checks Annual performance reviews

Casework: 

Casework Case file reviews Random Reanalysis Proficiency tests Internal External Courtroom testimony monitoring

Laboratory Audits: 

Laboratory Audits Annual Internal Self-Check/Audit Annual External Audit by Command personnel Annual Quality System Review

System Accreditation: 

System Accreditation ASCLD/LAB ISO FBI DNA Quality Assurance Standards

Slide31: 

ASCLD/LAB American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Advisory Board Started in late 70’s 1982 Illinois State Police System first system accredited Reaccreditation cycle: 5 years

ASCLD/LAB: 

ASCLD/LAB Accreditation process is looking at TWO major areas: Are we meeting all of the criteria? Are we doing what we say? Do we say what we are doing?

ASCLD/LABACCREDITATION: 

ASCLD/LAB ACCREDITATION 151 STANDARDS OR CRITERIA 90 Essential criteria 100% 45 Important criteria 75% 16 Desirable criteria 50% If not successful-remediation and reinspected

ASCLD/LAB: 

ASCLD/LAB Team of inspectors from other crime labs Prior to inspection, reviews all policies and procedures During inspection, inspectors review case files, interview staff, go through administrative files

Slide35: 

ISO/IEC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION/INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories

ISO/IEC: 

ISO/IEC Headquartered in Switzerland 147 members 1 per country or economy Form committees Write the clauses ISO does not accredit

Slide37: 

General Req for Accrediting Bodies Guidelines for Quality systems auditing General Req for competence of Testing laboratories ASCLD/LAB NFSTC-FQS-I Any lab including Forensic labs

Slide38: 

Regional cooperations agree on how to apply clauses

ISO/IEC: 

ISO/IEC 1999 Forensic Community met in Australia Created “Forensic Standards Document” called Guide 19 G-19 ASCLD/LAB standards Amplification document to ISO 17025

ISO/IEC: 

ISO/IEC ISO 17025 100 clauses for testing laboratories Guide 19 151 standards from ASCLD/LAB document Total of 251 clauses/criteria

Slide41: 

FBI DNA Quality Assurance Standards In order to participate in CODIS all laboratories must be audited against this audit document. FBI/DNA QAS 200 standards all must be 100% met

Summary: 

Summary ASCLD/LAB 151 standards ISO 17025 250 clauses Guide 19 151 standards FBI QAS stds 210 TOTAL 762 standards

Slide43: 

Happy Halloween!!!