QA & Ethics Quiz

List three standards developing organizations (SDOs) in forensic science

1. AAFS Standards Board 2. ASTM International 3.ISO 17025

The "guiding principles of professional responsibility for forensic service providers and forensic personnel" provide a framework for describing ethical and professional responsibilities pertaining to professionalism, competency/proficiency and clear communications: Give 2 ex. of clear communications

1. Accurately represent their education, training, experience, and area of expertise 2. Present accurate and complete data in reports, testimony, publications, and oral presentations

The "guiding principles of professional responsibility for forensic service providers and forensic personnel" provide a framework for describing ethical and professional responsibilities pertaining to professionalism, competency/proficiency and clear communications: Give 2 ex. of professionalism

1. Are independent, impartial, detached, and objective, approaching all examinations with due diligence and an open mind 2. Conduct full and fair examinations. Conclusions are based on the evidence and reference material relevant to the evidence, not on extraneous info, political pressure, or other outside influences.

The "guiding principles of professional responsibility for forensic service providers and forensic personnel" provide a framework for describing ethical and professional responsibilities pertaining to professionalism, competency/proficiency and clear communications: Give 2 ex. of competency/proficiency

1. Are properly trained 2. Give utmost care to the treatment of any sample

Effective standards development relies on consensus, openness, due process, and

1. Balance 2. Technical Merit

The "five whys" are often used during RCA. List two other techniques

1. Cause mapping (Cause-Effect Map) 2. Fishbone Diagrams

The objectives that define the purpose and nature of accreditation by an org such as ASCLD-LAB include:

1. Improve the quality of lab services provided to the criminal justice system 2.Develop and maintain criteria which can be used by a lab to assess its level of performance 3. To provide an independent, impartial, and objective system by which labs can benefit from a total operational review.

Identify three differences between legacy and International

1. Legacy was originally intended for forensic labs while International was not. 2. No longer used important or desirable all is essential. 3. Must meet all standards to be accredited

In addition to the 5 scientific area committees (SACs), there are three Resource Committees within the OSAC

1. Legal Resource Committee (LCR) 2. Quality Infrastructure Committee (QIC) 3. Human Factors Committee (HFC)

The 2009 NAS report published "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward" Name three recommendations

1. Need Standardization of terminology and lab reports. 2. Need more research on human observer bias and sources of human error. 3. Lab accreditation and individual certification of forensic science professionals should be mandatory

List two common pieces of equipment in the lab that must be calibrated in accordance with ISO 17025

1. Pipettes 2. Balances

What are the three levels of sanctions in order of increasing gravity

1. Probation 2. Suspension 3. Revocation

In between on-site assessments, a lab is expected to continue to meet the standards under which it was accredited. List 3-ways in which an accrediting body can monitor compliance between inspections:

1. Proficiency Tests 2. Annual Internal Audits 3. Disclosing non-compliance

The ISO 17025 standard was recently updated. List two differences between 2005 and 2017

1. Risk Assessment 2. New Structure

The ISO 17025:2015 5 elements

1. Scope 2. Normative References 3. Terms and Definitions 4. Management Requirements 5. Technical Requirements

For an infinite number of measurements with a Gaussian distribution, the coverage factor (k value) for a coverage probability of 99% will be:

3

According to the most recent survey, approx. how many of the nation's crime labs are accredited

88%

What is measurement Uncertainty

A non-negative parameter characterizing the dispersion of the quantity values being attributed to a measurand based on info used

Root Cause Analysis

A process used to evaluate issues, problems, failures, or non-conformances

The ASCLD-LAB accreditation programs are now operated by ANAB which stands for:

ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board

According to the most recent census, which statement is true?

All: in 2014, the nation's crime labs employed approx 14,000 FTES The most common discipline in publicly funded crime labs is controlled substances There were approx 400 publicly funded crime labs in the US in 2014 The combined annual budget for publicly funded crime labs was approx $1.7 billion

Which best describes ethics in a forensic science setting

Applied ethics

When an action in one area creates other actions or results in another it is a

Casual Chain

Define Repeatability

Condition of measurement, out of a set of conditions that includes the same measurement procedure, same operations, same measuring system, same operating conditions, same location, and replicate measures on the same or similar objects over a short period of time.

A forensic lab accredited under ISO 17025 must report a level II conformance within 30 days

False

Under ISO 17025 it is acceptable to erase, delete, or obliterate mistakes in technical records

False

Under ISO 17025, technical SOPs must have a specific format

False

Under ISO 17025, technical SOPs must use the quality control specified in the standard (ISO 17025)

False

Utalitarianism, "consequentialist" or teleological ethical theory focusses on the greater good. Deontological ethics focusses on

Human intention/motivation, rather than outcome

The Iso standard that best describes conformance standards for forensic certification bodies is:

ISO/IEC 17024

The ISO standard that describes general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration labs is:

ISO/IEC 17025

Laboratory accreditation can be described as the recognition of competence through an _________ third-party assessment of its quality, administrative and _____________ systems

Independent Technical

In 2003 the ASCLD-LAB accreditation program underwent a major change which allowed for two distinct types of accreditation: These were known as: Which is now obsolete

Legacy-Obsolete International (ISO Based)

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) is a joint effort of the US DOJ and ______. The governing body of the OSAC is the ______

NIST FSSB

Type A evaluations of uncertainty are best described as

Normal or Gaussian distributions

Non-conformity

Not abiding by standards Two types: work and events

Deming's Wheel Four Steps

Plan, Do, Check, Act

Which best describes Quality Assurance

Planned or systematic actions to provide sufficient confidence that a lab's product or services will satisfy given requirements

Ethics and morals are not the same. Describe morals

Principals or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct. It defines how things should work according to an individuals' ideals and principles

For rectangular distribution

The probability that a value lies outside of the limits is zero There is equal probability across the entire range

What is traceability?

The property of the result of a measurement or the value of a standard whereby it can be related to stated references, usually national or international standards, through an unbroken chain of comparisons

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to confirm an initial theory or preconception and avoid disconfirming information.

ANAB (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board) is now the majoring accrediting body for forensic labs in the US

True

Applications, certificate holders and affiliates of the American Board of Criminalistics must ensure that appropriate standards and controls to conduct examinations and analyses are utilized

True

Guidelines are recommended "should"

True

SWGs date back to the 1980s

True

Standards are mandatory "shall"

True

Under ISO 17025, technical SOPs must be written in such a way that departures from the procedures for performing tests and/or calibrations can be identified

True

Under Iso 17025, QC samples described in technical SOPs must have pre-defined criteria for acceptability

True

Under Iso 17025, technical SOPs must be written down

True

Cornerstones of measurement assurance include measurement traceability and _______

Uncertainty

When is a level I non-conformance reported to the accrediting body

Within 30 days of the event