Scientific Working Group for Materials Analysis – SWGMAT

2010 update

Maureen C. Bottrell, SWGMAT Chairman27 September 2010

DNA

Mission

● SWGMAT is dedicated to improving the field of trace evidence analysis through the development of guideline documents for the analysis of fibers, paint, glass, hairs, or tape; the interpretation of data; for the training new forensic examiners; and through cooperative research projects and academic exchange.

Acadiana Criminalistics LabArizona Department of of Public Safety

Australian Federal PoliceBundeskriminalamt Kriminaltechnisches Institut

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and ExplosivesCalifornia Department of Justice

Centre of Forensic SciencesDer Polizeiprasident Berlin

Eastern Kentucky UniversityFederal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory

Florida Department of Law EnforcementForensic Access, Ltd.

George Washington UniversityGeorgia Bureau of Investigation

Illinois State PoliceIndiana State Police

John Jay CollegeLake County Regional Forensic Lab

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police DepartmentLos Angeles Sheriff's Department

McCrone Associates Inc.Michigan State Police

MicrotraceMinnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

Missouri Highway PatrolNational Institute of Standards and Technology

New Hampshire Department of Public SafetyNew Jersey State Police

North Carolina State Bureau of InvestigationOregon State Police Forensic Laboratory

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Forensic LaboratorySacramento County Forensic Services Lab

San Diego County Sheriff's OfficeSuffolk University

TAKA, Inc.Tennessee Bureau of InvestigationTexas Department of Public Safety

U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services

University of TechnologyWashington State Patrol Crime Lab

Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory - Madison

●~ 65 members– 14 Federal (5 agencies)– 19 State (18 states)– 5 Local (4 States, 5 labs)– 12 Foreign (4 countries, 6 labs)

• 6 Federal• 4 State• 1 Local• 1 Academia

– 6 Private (5 companies)– 3 Academia

Structure of SWGMATChairman

Maureen Bottrell

FibersSandy Koch

HairAmy Michaud & Silvana Tridico

GlassJodi Webb

PaintTammy Jergovich

TapesMark Ahonen

J. AlmerS. BallouE. Davis

L. HerroldM. Kurowski

C. LozenK. McMahon

K. NehseK. Olsen

D. OrrS. PalenikS. ParentJ. Remy

W. SchneckG. SchubertS. Stoeffler

R. BisbingR. CookseyH. DeadmanP. DeForest

P. LambL. Peterson

G. RoweS. Shaw

F. SpringerB. Wheeler

B. Yates

S. BeckerM. BottrellB. Burton

J. BuscagliaR. DavisD. GreenR. Koons

C. KrausherT. Kubic

J. BarnettC. BonmartioV. Desiderio

G. EdmondstoneM. EyringD. FhlorS. Hardy

T. HodginsT. Hopen

T. JergovichS. RylandM. Stam

L. BenderS. Gross

A. MehltretterC. RouxJ. Smith

U. Simross

DatabasingEd Bartick

Published Guidelines

● Forensic Fiber Examination Guidelines (04/1999, in revision)

● Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison Guidelines (07/1999)

● Trace Evidence Recovery Guidelines (10/1999)

● Trace Evidence Quality Assurance Guidelines (01/2000)

● Trace Evidence Proficiency Testing Guideline (07/2001)

● Standard Guide for Using Scanning Electron Microscopy/X-ray Spectrometry in Forensic Paint Examinations (10/2002, in revision)

● Introduction to Forensic Glass Examination (01/2005)

● Collection, Handling and Identification of Glass (01/2005)

● A Forensic Fiber Examiner Training Program (4/2005)

● Forensic Human Hair Examination Guidelines (4/2005)

● Initial Examination of Glass (01/2005, 01/2006)

● Glass Fractures (01/2005, 01/2006)● Glass Density Examinations (01/2005,

01/2006)● Glass Refractive Index Determination

(01/2005, 01/2006)● Elemental Analysis of Glass (01/2005,

01/2006)● Standard Guide for

Microspectrophotometry and Color Measurement in Forensic Paint Analysis (10/2007)

● Guideline for Forensic Examination of Pressure Sensitive Tapes (10/2008)

● Expert Reporting Guideline (01/2009)● Scientific Working Group on Materials

Analysis Position on Hair Evidence (09/15/2009)

Guidelines in Publication

● Fourier Transform-Infrared Analysis of Paint

● Paint Examiner Training Guidelines● Physical Characteristics of Tape● Polarized Light Microscopy of Tape● Fourier Transform-Infrared Analysis of

Tape

Guidelines in Committee

● Admissibility guidance for each discipline● Interpretation guidance● Pyrolysis of Paint● Training guidance for animal hair examiners● Animal hair examination guidelines● Photographic Hair Atlas● X-ray Diffraction Analysis of Tape● Pyrolysis of Tape

Scientific Presentations22-25 March 2010 meeting

● Reports from Subgroup Chairs● Report from ENFSI-EFG and EPG● Presentations

– Py-GC-MS of Tapes, Jenny Smith– Architectural Paint, Diana Wright– PDQ, Tamara Hodgins, Diana Wright– Damages/Physical Fits, Kornelia Nehse– Case studies involving:

• Transfer and Persistence of Glass, David Green• Cut-Tear Examinations, David Green• Hair and Fiber Evidence in Cookie, Sandra Koch

– State of Glass Analysis at the BKA, Stefan Becker– Revised Paint, Tape, and Polymer Reporting Guidelines at

the FBI, Andria Mehltretter

FBI Interpretation of Results and Report Writing Working Group

(IRRWG)● Created March, 2009● Lead by FBI Quality Assurance and Training

Unit Chief, Catherine TheisenTasked with: ● Reviewing sample reports from all disciplines

represented at the FBI Laboratory.● Revising reports to meet standard outlined in

the USA National Academy of Sciences report: “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward”

USA National Academy of Science, Strengthening Forensic Science in the

United States: A Path Forward“Recommendation 2: The National Institute of Forensic

Science (NIFS), after reviewing established standards such as ISO 17025, and in consultation with it’s advisory board, should establish standard terminology to be used in reporting on and testifying about the results of forensic science investigations, Similarly, it should establish model laboratory reports for different forensic science disciplines and specify the minimum information that should be included. As a part of the accreditation and certification processes, laboratories and forensic scientists should be required to utilize model laboratory reports when” summarizing the results of their analyses.

Interpretation**as imagined by FBI Paints and Polymers Group

Tapes report used as example:● 7 point scale

– Level 1 - Physical Fit– Level 2 - Consistent in all properties, some properties rare.– Level 3 - Consistent in all properties.– Level 4 - Consistent in all properties, but those are

commonly occurring or the number of properties measured in less than optimum.

– Level 5 – Consistent in some, but not all measured properties. There’s a good reason why they’re inconsistent (sample heterogeneity, contamination, non-representative samples, ...).

– Inconclusive – We can’t tell whether or not they’re from the same source.

– Elimination – From different sources.

Interpretation**as envisioned by the SWGMAT Hair Group

● 3 point scale– Consistent with the same source– Inconclusive– Inconsistent with the same source

Interpretation**as envisioned by the SWGMAT Glass Group

Level.Sublevel

1 fragment 2-5 fragments 6-10 fragments >10 fragments 1 fragmen

1 Physical properties (thickness, color, curvature, fluorescence) alone 3.3

2 RI alone 3.2-3.3

3 Physical properties (thickness, color, curvature) + RI 3.2-3.3

4 RI pre- and post-laboratory annealing 3.2-3.35 RI at multiple λ 3.2-3.36 Density 3.2-3.37 RI+density 3.2-3.38 RI pre- and post- lab annealing + density 3.2-3.3

9 Major and minor element composition by SEM-EDS 3.2-3.3

10 Major and minor element composition by XRF 3.2

11 Major, minor and trace element composition by ICP methods 2-3.1

12 Major and minor element composition by SEM-EDS+RI+physcial properties 3.1-3.2

13 Major and minor element composition by XRF+RI+physical properties 3.1

14 Major, minor and trace element composition by ICP methods+RI+physical properties 2

16 Physical fit 1

One source of glass

Federal Interagency Working Groups

● Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) within the Executive Office of the President established through its National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), Subcommittee on Forensic Science.– Five Inter-agency Working Groups (IWGs)

• Standards, Practices and Protocols• Education and Ethics• Outreach• Certification, Licensing and Accreditation• Research, Training, Development and Evaluation

USA National Academy of Science, Strengthening Forensic Science in the

United States: A Path Forward

Recommendation 6:To facilitate the work of the National Institute of Forensic Science

(NIFS), Congress should authorize and appropriate funds to NIFS to work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in conjunction with government laboratories, universities, and private laboratories, and in consultation withScientific Working Groups, to develop tools for advancing measurement, validation, reliability, information sharing, and proficiency testing in forensic science and to establish protocols for forensic examinations, methods, and practices. Standards should reflect best practices and serve as accreditation tools for laboratories and as guides for the education, training, and certification of professionals. Upon completion of its work, NIST and its partners should report findings and recommendations to NIFS for further dissemination and implementation.