CFCL-14 2014 Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime Laboratori

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX: Approval Expires xx/xx/xxxx
Form CFCL-14

U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics

(Urban Institute acting as data collection agent)

2014 CENSUS OF PUBLICLY FUNDED
FORENSIC CRIME LABORATORIES
Please correct any errors in the name and address information that is printed below.
Contact Name
Contact Title, Contact Agency
Street Address 1
Street Address 2
City, State Zip
Email
Telephone Number

Agency ID

XXXXX-XX

Password

XXXXXXXX

OFFICIAL NAME OF FORENSIC CRIME LABORATORY
(if different from above)

PERSON COMPLETING THE FORM
Last Name

NAME
TELEPHONE

Area Code

First Name
Number

MI
Extension

TITLE
FAX

Area Code

Number

EMAIL
ADDRESS

IMPORTANT - This census is directed to forensic crime laboratories that are solely operated by government funds or whose parent
organization is a government agency.
As of December 31, 2014, if either of the following conditions applies to your agency, you are eligible to complete the questionnaire.
1. Publicly funded crime lab that employs one or more full-time scientists who possess a minimum of a bachelor’s
degree in a natural science (e.g., chemistry, physics, or biology) and who analyze physical evidence in criminal
matters and provide reports and testimony to courts of law on such evidence.
2. Publicly funded crime lab that only analyzes digital or multimedia evidence in criminal matters and provide reports and
testimony to courts of law on such evidence, regardless of whether your agency employs one or more full-time scientists
who possess a bachelor’s degree in a natural science.
If you are unsure about your laboratory’s eligibility, please contact the Urban Institute toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX.

COMPLETION AND RETURN INSTRUCTIONS
Please complete your questionnaire online by using the web reporting option at https:\\cfcl.urban.org using the Agency ID and password
listed in the label above. If you unable to complete the questionnaire online, contact the Urban Institute toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Please complete the survey online by XXXXXXX. Retain your completed questionnaire for reference.
?

If you have any questions, call the Urban Institute toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX or send an e-mail to [email protected].
If you have any general comments, please contact Matthew Durose of the Bureau of Justice Statistics by phone at 202-307-0765 or
by e-mail at [email protected].
When corresponding about this questionnaire, please refer to the agency ID number shown above in the pre-printed address information.
Data collected through this project will be used for research and statistical purposes only (Title 42 USC 3725 and 3789g) and
archived on the Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) website. Your participation in this data
collection is voluntary.

Burden Statement
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information, unless
it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.9 hours per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531.

URB AN INSTITUTE

Justice Policy Center

INSTRUCTIONS
Please answer all questions with reference to the forensic
laboratory specified on the cover page.
If the answer to a question is “not available” or “unknown,”
write “DK” in the space provided.
If the answer to a question is “none” or “zero,” write “0”
in the space provided.
Please do not leave any items blank.
Additional instructions for completing the questions are in
the Help Text in Appendix A. Definitions are in the Glossary
in Appendix B.

SECTION A: ORGANIZATION

A1.

A2.

What type of government operates this lab facility?
Mark one.
1
City, borough, village, or town
2
County or parish
3
State
4
Federal
As of December 31, 2014, was your laboratory part
of a multi-laboratory system? A multi-laboratory
system is defined as two or more separate laboratory
entities that are overseen by a single organization.
Mark “yes” or “no.”
1

Yes

2

No

A5. During 2014, did your individual lab facility perform
these forensic functions? Mark “yes” or “no” for
each listed function and associated sub-categories.
See Appendix B for a description of each function.
Yes No
1
2
a. Controlled Substances
1
2
b. Toxicology (General)
If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

Antemortem BAC
Antemortem Drugs
Postmortem
c. Trace (General)

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

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2

1

2

1

2

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2

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2

1

2

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2

1

2

1

2

1

2

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2

1

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1

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1

2

1

2

1

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1

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1

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2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

Gunshot Residue Testing
Hair Examination
Fiber Examination
Fire Debris Analysis
Explosives Analysis
Paint Analysis
Chemical Unknown
Other Trace (specify below)

__________________________

d. Impressions (General)
If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

Footwear
Tire Tread
e. Firearms/Toolmarks
f. Digital & Multimedia Evidence

If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

Computer Analysis
Mobile Device Analysis
Image Analysis
Video Analysis
Audio Analysis
Other DME Analysis (specify below)

__________________________

Skip to A4

1

g. Latent Prints (Do not include 10-print input)
If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

A3.

As of December 31, 2014, how many individual
laboratories are in your multi-lab system? Include
your own laboratory in this total.
_____________________________ laboratories

A4.

If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

During 2014, did these types of government
agencies submit requests for forensic services to
your individual laboratory? Mark “yes” or “no”
for each response.
City, borough, village, or town
County or parish
State (state-wide or regional)
Federal (nationwide or regional)

Print Development
Comparisons
h. Questioned Documents
Screening
i. Forensic Biology (Includes& Biology
DNA Analysis)

Yes No
1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

Casework
Sexual Assault Casework
Convicted Offender DNA Samples
Arrestee DNA Samples
Other DNA Samples (e.g., missing persons)
j. Crime Scene
If YES, mark all specific functions that apply:

Evidence Collection
Reconstruction

(e.g., bloodstain pattern analysis)

k. Other (specify below)

1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
1 of 6

A6. As of December 31, 2014, did your individual
laboratory have a Laboratory Information
Management System (LIMS)? A LIMS is a
computerized system used to manage, compile or
track requests and/or evidence. Mark one.
Yes, laboratory-wide
Yes, only certain disciplines
No

1
2
3  Skip to A8

A7. During 2014, did your individual laboratory use
LIMS for these functions? Mark “yes” or “no”’
for each function. Refer to Appendix B for a
description of each function.

a. Tracking by Item
b. Tracking by Request
c. Tracking by Law Enforcement
Case Number
d. Tracking by Laboratory Case
Number
e. Tracking by Criminal Offense
Type (e.g., homicide or robbery)
f. Calculating Turnaround Time
by Item
g. Calculating Average Turnaround
Time by Section
h. Calculating Average Turnaround
Time for the Overall Laboratory
i. Tracking Criminal Case Status
j. Interfacing with Laboratory
Instrumentation
k. Monitoring Backlog
l. Documenting Chain of Custody
m. Generating Reports
n. Paperless Reporting
o. Other (specify below)
________________________
________________________

Yes No
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1
1
1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2
2
2

A8. During 2014, did your individual laboratory
perform these procedures or use these
technologies? Mark “yes” or “no” for each
procedure and technology. Refer to Appendix B
for a description of each procedure or technology.
Yes No
a. Y-STR Analysis
1 2
b. Mitochondrial DNA Analysis
1 2
c. Robotics
1 2
d. Expert Systems
1 2
e. LC- MS/MS for Toxicology
1 2
f. Rapid DNA
1 2

A8. (continued)
g. Familial DNA Database Searches
h. Analyses of Synthetic
Cannabinoids (e.g., Spice, K2)
i. Analyses of Synthetic
Cathinones (e.g., bath salts)
j. Laser Microdissection
k. Polynomial Texture Mapping

Yes No
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2

A9. During 2014, did your individual laboratory use
these databases? Mark “yes” or “no” for each
database. Refer to Appendix B for a description of
each database.
Yes No
a. Paint Data Query (PDQ)
1 2
b. National Integrated Ballistics
Information Network (NIBIN)
1 2
c. Combined DNA Index System
(CODIS)
1 2
d. Automated Fingerprint
Identification System (AFIS)
1 2
e. Integrated Automated Fingerprint
Identification System (IAFIS)
1 2
f. Ignitable Liquids Reference
Collection (ILRC)
1 2
g. Other DNA Database (non-CODIS) 1 2
(specify below)
_____________________________
A10. During 2014, did you individual laboratory
analyze these sources of digital information?
Mark “yes” or “no” for each source of digital
information.
Yes No
a. Traditional Cellphones
(not Smartphones)
1 2
b. Smartphones
1 2
c. Laptop, Tablet, and Desktop
Computers
1 2
d. Thumb and External Drives
1 2
e. Wireless Routers and Network
Devices
1 2
f. GPS and Navigation Systems
1 2
g. Audio Files
1 2
h. CDs, DVDs, and other Storage
Mediums
1 2
i. Gaming Systems (Xbox,
Playstation, etc.)
1 2
j. Cloud and Server Data
(including social media)
1 2
k. Other (specify below)
1 2
_____________________________

2 of 6

SECTION B: BUDGET
B1. During 2014, what was the total amount of
funding received for laboratory operations? Include
fees, grants, and one-time special projects.
$___________________.00
Mark all that apply.
 Financial data includes your entire multi-lab system.
 Budget total was estimated.
 Budget data reported as fiscal year 2014

___ ___ _____ to ___ ___ _____
mm dd yyyy
mm dd yyyy

B2.

During 2014, did you individual lab receive
funding from these sources? Mark “yes” or
“no” for each listed funding source.
Yes
No
a. Fees
1
2
b. Federal Grants
1
2
c. State Grants
1
2
d. Other Grants
1
2

SECTION C: STAFF
C1. Enter the number of full-time and part-time
employees as of December 31, 2014. Report each
employee in only one category. Report employees
who normally work less than 35 hours per week as
part-time. If none, enter 0. Refer to Appendix B for
a description of positions.
Full-time
__________

Part-time
__________

b. Clerical/Administrative __________

__________

a. Managerial

c. Analyst/Examiner
1. Entry-level

__________

__________

2. Intermediate/Senior __________

__________

d. Technical Support

C2. Enter the number of analysts/examiners (as
specified in C1, part c) in your individual
laboratory that were certified by one or more of
the entities listed below? In none, enter 0.
________________________ analysts/examiners
List of Selected Certification Entities:
American Board of Criminalistics
American Board of Forensic Document Examiners
American Board of Forensic Odontology
American Board of Forensic Toxicology
American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators
American Board of Forensic Anthropology
International Association of Computer Investigative
Specialists
International Association for Identification
(not including 10-print certification)
Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board
Forensic Toxicologist Certification Board
Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners
Board of Forensic Document Examiners
International Institute of Forensic Engineering Sciences

C3-C4. Enter the minimum and maximum full-time
annual salaries for each position in your
individual laboratory as of December 31,
2014. Exclude benefits and overtime when
reporting annual salaries. If the position does
not exist on a full-time basis, mark N/A.
C3.
Minimum

C4.
Maximum N/A

$__________

$__________ 99

b.Supervisor
$__________
Highest level
(exclude director)

$__________ 99

c. Supervisor
Lowest level

$__________

$__________ 99

d.Analyst/Examiner $__________
Entry-level only

$__________ 99

e. Analyst/Examiner $__________
Senior-level only

$__________ 99
$__________ 99

$__________ 99

a. Director

__________

__________

e. Crime Scene Technician __________

__________

f. Technical Support $__________
(e.g., lab technician,
lab support personnel)

f. Other

__________

__________

g. Researchers Only $__________

g. Total employees
(sum a-f)

__________

__________

3 of 6

SECTION D: WORKLOAD
D1 though D17 asks for information about your individual laboratory workload. Do not include requests that your lab sent to another
lab for analysis. If your lab did not have the responsibility to perform this function in 2014, mark N/A.
 A request is the submission of one or more items of physical evidence to a forensic discipline from a single criminal investigation.
 A single criminal investigation (i.e., case) may result in more than one requests (e.g., toxicology and latent prints).
 A backlogged request is a request that is in the lab and remains unreported for a period of 30 days or more.
 Contact the Help Line if you could not report the totals as specified or if you are unable to extract data separately for the given
categories below.

D1. How many requests did your laboratory receive
from January 1, 2014 through December 31,
2014? Include convicted offender and arrestee
forensic biology requests.

D2. As of January 1, 2015, how many backlogged
requests (unreported for 30 days or longer) did
your laboratory have? Include convicted
offender and arrestee forensic biology requests.

__________________ requests


Mark here if this number was estimated.

_________________requests
 Mark here if this number was estimated.

a. Total number
b. Total number
of new requests
of requests
received
completed
in 2014
in 2014

c. Total number
of all pending
request awaiting
analysis as of
January 1, 2015

d. Number of
pending requests
that were backlogged
(requests unreported
for 30 days or longer)
as of January 1, 2015

N/A
D3. Controlled Substances

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D4. Toxicology

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D5. Trace

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D6. Impressions

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D7. Firearms/Toolmarks

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D8. Digital & Multimedia
Evidence
D9. Latent Prints

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D10. Questioned Documents 99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D11. Crime Scene

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

N/A

N/A

D12. Forensic Biology (Total)

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D13. Forensic Biology Casework (includes biology screening and DNA analysis)
99 a. ___________
b. ___________
c. ___________
D14. Sexual Assault Casework
99 a. ___________
b. ___________
c. ___________

d. ___________

99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D16. Arrestee Samples
99

a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D17. Convicted Offender Samples
99 a. ___________

b. ___________

c. ___________

d. ___________

D15. DNA Database



d. ___________

Mark here if the numbers in D3 - D17 were estimated.
4 of 6

SECTION E: OUTSOURCING
E1.

F2.

During 2014, did your laboratory outsource the
testing of any type of evidence or samples?
Outsourcing is requests sent to private labs and
public labs outside your multi-lab system. Mark
“yes” or “no.”
1

Yes

2

1

No  Skip to E3
F3.

E2.

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.

j.
k.
E3.

During 2014, did your laboratory outsource
analysis of these types of evidence or samples?
Mark “yes” or “no” for each type of evidence or
sample. If your lab did not perform one of the
following functions in 2014, mark N/A.
Yes No N/A
Controlled Substances
1 2 99
Toxicology
1 2 99
Trace
1 2 99
Impressions
1 2 99
Firearms/Toolmarks
1 2 99
Digital & Multimedia
Evidence (DME)
1 2 99
Latent Prints
1 2 99
Questioned Documents
1 2 99
Forensic Biology
1. Casework
1 2 99
2. Sexual Assault Casework
1 2 99
3. Convicted Offender Samples 1 2 99
4. Arrestee DNA Samples
1 2 99
Crime Scene
1 2 99
Other (specify below)
1 2 99
_________________________________
During 2014, did your lab receive requests to
analyze evidence or samples from labs outside
of your own laboratory system? Mark “yes” or
“no.”
1

Yes

2

No

SECTION F: QUALITY ASSURANCE
F1.

As of December 31, 2014, was your laboratory
accredited by the following organizations?
Mark “yes” or “no” for each type.
a. ASCLD/LAB, Legacy
1
2
b. ASCLD/LAB, International 1
2
(ISO 17025)
c. FQS-International
1
2
d. A2LA
1
2
e. Other (please specify below) 1
2
______________________________________

During 2014, did your laboratory have
resources dedicated primarily to research?
Research is experimentation aimed at the
discovery and interpretation of facts, the revision
of accepted methods, or practical application of
such new or revised methods or technologies.
Mark “yes” or “no.”
2

No

During 2014, did your laboratory conduct
proficiency testing on its analysts/examiners?
Mark “yes” or “no.”
1

F4.

Yes

Yes

2

No  Skip to F5

During 2014, which of the following proficiency
tests did your laboratory perform internally
and externally? Mark all that apply. If your lab
did not perform this test in 2014, mark N/A.
Internal

External N/A

a. Blind – analyst/examiner
is not told which case is for
testing.

1

2

99

b. Declared- analyst/examiner is
told when he/she is being tested

1

2

99

c. Random case reanalysis- random 1
selection of analyst/examiner’s
prior case work for reanalysis by
another analyst/examiner

2

99

1

2

99

d. Other proficiency testing
(please specify below)

________________________________

F5.

In 2014, did your laboratory have written
standards for performance expectations for
full-time equivalent analysts/examiners in any
discipline? Mark “yes” or “no.”
1

Yes

2

No

Nodid your laboratory have written code
F6. Yes
In 2014,
of ethics? Mark one.
Yes, created own code of ethics

1

Yes, adopted an existing code of ethics

2

No

3

5 of 6

SECTION G: FEEDBACK & SUBMISSION
Please write any comments you would like to share with
the Bureau of Justice Statistics about (a) your survey
responses, (b) the survey content or format, (c) the
manner of administration of the survey, or (d) any other
applicable information.
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to complete this
important survey.

6 of 6

APPENDIX A: HELP TEXT
This section provides information to assist in answering select items from the Census of Publicly Funded Forensic Crime
Laboratories (CPFFCL). Refer to the glossary in Appendix B for additional information on definitions of terms used in the
survey.
Please do not leave questions blank. If you are unable to complete a question, please contact the Help Line toll free at
1-XXX-XXX-XXXX
SECTION A: ORGANIZATION
A1. Mark the box which best describes the organization that has oversight of your crime laboratory.
A3. An individual laboratory is a separate laboratory entity that is overseen by a single organization.
A5. “Forensic Biology” includes both biology screening and DNA analysis. If your laboratory has any additional
disciplines, please mark “Yes” for “Other” and write in the name of each one in the lines provided.
SECTION B: BUDGET
If you are unable to provide budgetary information, please have the budget section completed by your headquarters or
another agency with administrative control.
B1. Report the total amount of funding received from all sources, including both hard sources (e.g., repetitive) and soft
sources (e.g., fees, grants, and one-time special projects). Include all funding that was budgeted for personnel, fringe
benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, construction, consultants/contractors, indirect costs, and any other operating costs.
Do not enter dollar signs or commas. If you are unable to provide lab-level financial data, you may report the budgetary
information for your multiple laboratory system. If your lab receives funding on both a fiscal and calendar year basis,
report the year that majority of your funding follows. For example, if you receive grants that follow a federal fiscal year
cycle while the rest of your allocated budget follows a calendar year cycle, report the calendar year.
SECTION C: STAFF
For the following questions, please report the personnel totals and salary ranges for your laboratory. If you are a part of a
multiple laboratory system, report these values for your individual laboratory and not for the entire multiple laboratory
system (i.e., the number of analysts/examiners actually working in the individual laboratory, not in the entire system).
C1. If you have employees that fit within multiple categories, report that person in the category that describes the majority
of their duties. For example, if a section manager also works on casework 25% of the time, report that person in the
“Managerial” category. If an analyst/examiner also responds to crime scenes several times a month, report that person in
the “Analyst/Examiner” category. Do not leave any categories blank; write “0” if you have no employees that fall within a
certain category.




“Managerial” positions include any individual whose primary responsibilities are supervisory.
“Clerical/Administrative Support” perform functions related to the operation of the laboratory (e.g., quality
assurance, IT) but do not interact with casework evidence.
“Analyst/Examiner” primary responsibilities include evidence examination, conclusion generation, report
generation and court testimony.
A1



“Technical Support” personnel perform laboratory functions other than direct evidence examination (e.g., reagent
preparation, instrument maintenance, or sample preparation) or assist in evidence examination but do not
generally draw conclusions about any analysis.

When deciding whether an individual falls under the Analyst/Examiner category or Technical Support category, note that
analysts/examiners routinely draw conclusions based on the examination of evidence or crime scene documentation as
part of their job duties. For example, using this criterion, an employee who performs any latent print comparison is an
“Analyst/Examiner” while an employee who performs latent print development but no comparison is “Technical
Support.” All categories should add up to the Total employees (g.).
C2. Do not report any analysts/examiners who are solely certified internally or certified by an unlisted organization only.
C3-C4. If your laboratory does not use set salary scales, enter in the minimum and maximum salaries for that position or
its closest equivalent during 2014. If employees in a particular position are paid a wage rather than a salary, please report
the minimum and maximum pay the employees would receive if they worked 40 hours per week for an entire year and
received no overtime. One common way to do this is: Salary = X dollars/hour * 2080 hours. If, for a given position, the
minimum and maximum salaries are equal, enter the same value in both columns. Please mark the “N/A” checkbox if, on
December 31, 2014, your agency had no employees occupying the given position and the position was not considered
vacant.
Refer to the glossary for position definitions. An employee qualifies as a “Researcher Only” if his or her primary work is
dedicated towards forensic science research. Please note that part (d.) “Analyst/Examiner: Entry Level” refers to the
lowest level only and (e.) “Analyst/Examiner: Senior-Level” refers to the highest level only and excludes intermediatelevel analysts. Do not enter dollar signs or commas. You may round the salary estimates to the nearest $1000.
SECTION D: WORKLOAD
D1-D17. These questions ask about the number of requests your laboratory received and completed from January 1, 2014,
to December 31, 2014. In situations where a request is exchanged between labs within a multiple laboratory system, the
lab which conducts the analysis should count the request, while the lab which sent the request out for analysis should not
count the request.
If you are unable to provide the actual number of requests and can only report an estimate, please check the box under D1,
D2 and/or D17 and contact the Help Line.
D3-D17. These questions ask about the workload for each general discipline listed in item A5. The subcategories for each
discipline that you indicated will not be asked here. If your laboratory does not perform the discipline listed in a
particular column, mark “N/A”.
A single request may include multiple evidence items (e.g., DNA samples). Enter “0” if there were no requests during the
specified time period. Do NOT include items outsourced to other laboratories in this section. For all applicable
disciplines, report the following information:
(a) Total number of new requests received in 2014. Record the total number of requests received from January 1,
2014 to December 31, 2014.
(b) Total number of requests completed in 2014. Record the total number of requests completed (analyzed and
reported) from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014.
(c) Total number of all pending requests awaiting analysis as of January 1, 2015. A pending request refers to
any request submitted to the laboratory for which analysis has not yet started.
(d) Number of these pending requests that were backlogged (requests held for 30 days or longer) as of
January 1, 2015. Record the number of backlogged requests on January 1, 2015. A request is backlogged if a report
has not been generated within 30 days of submission to the laboratory.
A2

D12. This question asks for the total workload information for all forensic biology items processed, including, but not
limited to, biology screening, forensic biology casework requests and DNA database requests. This question is a total for
the discipline and can be greater than the sum of “Forensic Biology Casework” and “DNA Database” work.
D13 . This question asks for workload information for forensic biology casework items, including biology screening. This
question is a subsection of the general “Forensic Biology” category (D12).
D14. This question is a subsection of the “all forensic biology casework” category (D13). Report requests for sexual
assault offenses only.
D15. This question asks for workload information for all items processed for inclusion in a DNA database. This does not
include items collected from crime scenes or exemplars collected for direct comparison or ‘bench matches’.
D16-D17. These questions are a subsection of the “all DNA database” category (D15).
SECTION E: OUTSOURCING
E1. Requests exchanged between laboratories in the same multiple laboratory system are not considered outsourcing.
E2. Mark “N/A” if your laboratory does not have the listed discipline or it is not possible for this discipline to outsource
requests. If you have a type of request that is not listed, write in a description of the request type in the blank line
provided within the “Other” category. Requests exchanged between laboratories in the same multiple laboratory system
are not considered outsourcing.
SECTION F: QUALITY ASSURANCE
F2. Resources may include dollars, work-hours, supplies, or other funding dedicated specifically to supporting research.
F4. If your laboratory participates in both internal and external proficiency testing select both options. Select “N/A” if
your laboratory did not perform that type of proficiency test in 2014. A definition of each proficiency test is provided in
F4.
F5. These expectations may differ by examiner type, forensic discipline and staffing level. Choose “No” if your
laboratory managers and supervisors have expectations of performance that are not codified.

A3

APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY
AFIS

Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Biometric database based on
fingerprint minutia, with image storage and search capabilities.

analyst/examiner

Laboratory personnel whose primary responsibilities are the analysis of physical
evidence, drawing conclusions based on that analysis, reviewing and reporting
analytical results and providing expert testimony. Included in this category are
crime scene personnel who perform the senior-level duties of crime scene
reconstruction and blood spatter analysis.

analyst/examiner, entry-level

See analyst/examiner. No professional experience necessary to qualify for hiring
at this level.

analyst/examiner,
intermediate/senior-level

See analyst/examiner. Professional experience necessary to qualify for hiring at
this level. Includes all levels above entry-level that do not have supervisory
duties.

analyst/examiner, senior-level

See analyst/examiner. The highest level of analyst/examiner at the laboratory that
does not have supervisory duties.

arrestee DNA sample

A DNA reference sample from an arrestee collected and analyzed for inclusion
into a database.

backlog, monitoring

See monitoring backlog.

backlogged request

A request that has been submitted to a disciplinary area of the crime laboratory
and remains unreported for a period of 30 days or longer.

calculating turnaround time by item

A LIMS function that will calculate the time it took for the completion of
evidence analysis based on time and/or date information within the LIMS. This
calculation is based on a predefined starting point (e.g., request receipt, request
assignment) and end point (e.g., reporting of results) and is calculated for a single
evidence item.

calculating average turnaround time
by section

A LIMS function that will calculate the average time it took for the completion of
evidence analysis based on time and/or date information within the LIMS. This
calculation is based on a predefined starting point (e.g., request receipt, request
assignment) and end point (e.g., reporting of results) and is calculated for a single
section.

cannabinoids, synthetic

Synthetically produced compounds that mimic naturally occurring cannabinoids.
These compounds are added to some other substrate, marketed as 'spice' or herbal
incense products, and are used illicitly for their psycho-active properties.

case

All physical evidence from a single criminal investigation submitted for crime
laboratory analysis.

casework, forensic biology

Forensic biology requests processed from either questioned evidence (i.e.
evidence of unknown origin) or from known persons whose profiles are not
eligible for entry into a database (i.e. victim exemplar).

cathinones, synthetic

A cathinone is a compound naturally found in the khat plant. When produced
synthetically, these compounds are marketed as bath salts and abused for their
B1

stimulant properties.
cellphone, traditional

The primary purpose of a traditional cellphone is making and receiving calls and
text messaging. Also known as a feature phone or “dumbphone”.

chain of custody, documenting

See documenting chain of custody.

chemical unknown

Microscopic and/or instrumental analysis of evidence to determine chemical
composition of substances that do not fit into the criteria of other trace
subdisciplines.

clerical/administrative

Laboratory personnel whose primary responsibility is to provide support to other
laboratory personnel through the performance of organizational/ administrative
duties.

cloud data

Refers to data stored on a server and accessed remotely, rather than data stored in
the memory of the device that is used to access it.

CODIS

Combined DNA Index System. The software platform for the three-tiered (local,
state, national) DNA database index system.

controlled substances

The identification of drugs and other substances whose possession or use, either
in pure, legal or illicit dosages, is restricted by the government.

convicted offender sample

A DNA reference sample from a convicted offender collected and analyzed for
the inclusion into a database.

crime laboratory

A scientific laboratory with at least one full-time natural scientist that examines
physical evidence in criminal matters, provides reports and opinion testimony
with respect to such physical evidence in courts of law. This definition does not
include operations that engage exclusively in evidence collection and
documentation, such as fingerprint recovery and development, crime scene
response, and photography.

crime scene

Forensic discipline that conducts the identification, documentation, collection
and/or interpretation of physical evidence at a location external to a laboratory
facility and where a suspected crime has occurred.

crime scene technician

Laboratory personnel whose primary responsibilities are to respond to crime
scenes, record and collect evidence, and submit that evidence to a laboratory for
analysis.

criminal case status, tracking

See tracking criminal case status.

criminal offense type, tracking by

See tracking by criminal offense type.

database, forensic biology

Forensic biology requests processed for the express purpose of adding profiles to
the database, specifically items collected from known persons.

digital & multimedia evidence

Analog or digital (stored/transmitted in the binary form) media evidence,
including, but not limited to, computer files, film, tape, magnetic and optical
media, and/or information contained therein.

B2

documenting chain of custody

LIMS function that records the possession and location of evidence from
collection through analysis, possible court presentation and long term storage.
This may include both internal and external chain of custody.

expert system

Software designed to process data without human intervention.

explosives analysis

Microscopic and/or instrumental analysis of physical evidence and devices
rendered safe for the quantitative/qualitative chemical analysis of low and/or high
explosives and/or explosives residue.

familial DNA database searches

Searching a DNA database.

fiber examination

Microscopic and/or instrumental examination of fibers. This analysis may identify
the fiber type and other class characteristics by observation of physical, chemical
and optical properties.

fire debris analysis

Instrumental analysis of physical evidence in order to detect the presence of
possible ignitable liquid residues foreign to the substrate.

firearms/toolmarks

Examination and comparison of evidence resulting from discharge and/or use of
firearms; comparison of marks made by various tools.

forensic biology

The location, screening, identification and characterizations of physiological
fluids and DNA analysis of biological evidence. This category combines the
“biology screening” and “DNA analysis” categories used in the 2002 and 2005
Census of Publicly Funded Crime Labs.
Forensic biology casework refers to the processing of any item to aid a criminal
investigation, this includes items of known (K) and unknown (Q) origin. DNA
database refers to the processing of any item from a known person for inclusion
into a database.

generating reports

A LIMS function that automatically assists in the creation of reports, including,
but not limited to, creating report language, inputting data into report templates,
certificates of analysis and workload reports. This functionality eliminates or
greatly reduces the amount of examiner time dedicated to producing reports for
evidence submitting agencies.

gunshot residue testing

Microscopic and/or instrumental analysis of evidence in order to detect any
particulates expelled from any and all openings of a firearm during firing. This
definition does not include weapon-to-target distance determination.

hair examination

Microscopic examination of the structural characteristics of hair to determine
characteristics of the hair source or for comparison with a set of known
exemplars.

hard sources

Repeated and dependable sources of funding including, but not limited to, funds
provided from the city, county, state or federal government.

IAFIS

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System of the FBI.

ILRC

Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection. The ILRC is an online compilation of
ignitable liquid reference materials and accompanying data used in the analysis of
fire debris samples in accordance with the American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) E-1618 standard test methods.
B3

impressions

Identification, documentation, collection, and interpretation of two-dimensional
and three dimensional impressions and imprints found on physical evidence (e.g.,
footwear, tire tread). For purposes of this survey, firearms/toolmarks and latent
prints are separate categories and are not to be included in the general impressions
category.

interfacing with laboratory
instrumentation

LIMS function that allows for the automatic communication between the LIMS
and the laboratory instrument software. This may allow the LIMS to store
instrument outputs (data), control instrument operations and/or track usage.

item, tracking by

See tracking by item.

laboratory case number, tracking by

See tracking by laboratory case number.

laboratory instrumentation,
interfacing with

See interfacing with laboratory instrumentation.

laser microdissection

Visualization, isolation and recovery of specific cells from samples mounted on
slides using laser illumination. Frequently abbreviated LMD.

latent prints

Development and/or comparison of fingerprint impressions on physical evidence
or other substrates. This category does not include the input of 10-print records.

law enforcement case number,
tracking by

See tracking by law enforcement case number.

LC-MS/MS

Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Used for the qualitative
and quantitative analysis of drugs and other compounds. The tandem MS
capability allows analysis of many compounds in a single sample injection.

LIMS

Laboratory Information Management System. Any computerized system that
records information about items submitted and analyzed by the laboratory.
System is used to manage, compile, or track requests and/or evidence.

managerial

Laboratory personnel whose primary responsibility is the management or
supervision of other employees.

mitochondrial DNA analysis

Analysis of the hypervariable regions of the mitochondrial genome for the
purpose of identification.

monitoring backlog

A LIMS function that monitors the current status of backlogged evidence. This
function can assist in the calculating and reporting of backlogs; may be discipline
specific or laboratory-wide.

multiple laboratory system

A multi-laboratory system is defined as two or more separate laboratory entities
that are overseen by a single organization.

NIBIN

National Integrated Ballistics Information Network. Repository of digital images
of the markings made on spent ammunition recovered from a crime scene or a
crime gun test fire.

B4

outsource

Physical evidence from the jurisdiction served is sent to another laboratory, public
or private, for analysis. This does not refer to physical evidence sent to other
laboratories in the same multiple laboratory system.

paint analysis

Microscopic and/or instrumental analysis of paint and coating evidence to
determine chemical and physical characteristics that can indicate a specific source
type (e.g., automotive, architectural) or be compared to submitted exemplars.

paperless reporting

Refers to records that are entered directly into a digital device and stored in a
database, as opposed to records physically documented on paper or other tangible
medium.

PDQ

Paint Data Query. PDQ contains information on the chemical composition of
paint from most domestic and foreign car manufacturers and the majority of
vehicles marketed in North America after 1973. This database is maintained by
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

pending request

A request that has been submitted to a disciplinary area of a crime laboratory, but
has not yet been examined and reported to the submitting agency. A pending
request will become a backlogged request after it remains unreported for a period
of 30 days.

performance expectation

The expected number of requests, analyzed and reported, for one full-time
examiner for a specified period of time (e.g., week, month, year). This number is
a managerial expectation and may be higher or lower than the actual number of
requests completed for 2014.

polynomial texture mapping

Images taken from a fixed point of view with lighting at multiple angles are
combined to create an image with increased photorealism. Forensic applications
include imaging of impression evidence. Frequently abbreviated “PTM.”

questioned documents

Examination of printed, typed or written material for the purpose of identifying
the source, determining alterations or other means of gaining information about
the item or the circumstances surrounding its production.

rapid DNA

A rapid DNA process is a hands-free method to produce a DNA profile. This
device may be portable, self-contained and/or reliant on microfluidic technology.

reconstruction

Determining past events that address questions of investigative importance from
the record of physical evidence that has resulted from those events.

request

Submissions of one or more items of physical evidence from the same case to a
single disciplinary area of a crime laboratory. Multiple submissions of new
evidence over time from the same case to one or more disciplinary sections of the
laboratory count as a new request.

request, tracking by

See tracking by request.

reports, generating

See generating reports.

researchers only

An employee whose primary duties are to conduct research, defined as
experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, the revision of
accepted theories, or practical application of such new or revised theories or
technologies.
B5

robotics

Technology designed to perform tasks (e.g., liquid handling) with little-to-no
human intervention.

scientist

A person with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a natural science who
employs the scientific method in the examination and interpretation of evidence in
a crime laboratory.

server data

Refers to data stored in the memory of a central device, rather than in the memory
of the device used to access the data. Often, a server is used to connect multiple
computers to allow them to communicate with one another.

sexual assault casework

Any physical evidence submitted from the commission of a sexual assault. This
category includes, but is not limited to, items referred to as sexual assault kits,
victim physical evidence kits and rape kits.

smartphone

A smartphone is designed to access internet-based services and run programs (i.e.,
apps) in addition to making and receiving phone calls and text messages.

soft sources

One-time or unpredictable sources of funding including, but not limited to, fees,
grants and awards.

supervisor

An employee whose primary duties are the oversight of other laboratory
personnel.

technical support

An employee whose primary responsibility is to provide support to
analysts/examiners via the performance of laboratory-based tasks such as sample
preparation, reagent preparation and analytical instrumentation maintenance.

toxicology

Analysis of biological materials for the presence of drugs and other potentially
toxic materials.

trace

Microscopic, chemical and/or instrumental analysis of transferable evidence and
other materials not specifically covered in other disciplines including, but not
limited to, gunshot residue, fire debris, explosives, paint, glass, hair, fibers, tape
and other varieties of trace and/or transferable evidence.

tracking by criminal offense type

LIMS tracks evidence by the type of associated criminal offense. This may be
used to identify evidence or cases for a single offense type (e.g. homicide) or
multiple offense types (e.g. property crime).

tracking by item

LIMS tracks evidence at the item-level. Tracking may include reference to
location, progress of analysis, or completion dates/times.

tracking by laboratory case number

LIMS tracks evidence at the level of the laboratory case. A laboratory case is a
case number assigned by the forensic laboratory. Tracking may include reference
to location, progress of analysis, or completion dates/times.

tracking by law enforcement case
number

LIMS tracks evidence by the case number assigned by the law enforcement
agency investigating the crime. Tracking may include reference to location,
progress of analysis, or completion dates/times.

tracking by request

LIMS tracks evidence at the request-level. A single criminal event may result in
multiple requests for analysis. Tracking may include reference to location,
progress of analysis, or completion dates/times.

B6

tracking criminal case status

LIMS function that records the progress of a case through the criminal justice
system for which physical evidence has been submitted to the laboratory. Status
information may include open/closed/cleared designation, pending court dates
and/or final case disposition.

Y-STR analysis

Analysis of short tandem repeat loci on the Y chromosome.

B7