Quality Documents

The development of a laboratory quality system enhances the validity of testing results and conclusions. Integral parts of a quality system include the organization’s policies, procedures, and protocols to guide staff members through the maze of intricacies that comprise a forensic laboratory.

At the request of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) and funded through a Cooperative Agreement with the National Institute of Justice, the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) provides public crime laboratories with a no-cost model quality manual through the Quality Documents program. The Quality Documents program:

• Is comprised of a toolkit of templates, reference materials, and quality system documents designed to be easily adapted to individual laboratory requirements.
• Is presented in a user-friendly format and accessible via the Internet.
• Provides a vehicle for laboratories to review their existing quality systems for comparison purposes.
• Fosters the development and/or improvement of laboratory quality systems, which promotes the validity of testing results.
• Provides reference documents and materials based upon the requirements and criteria of the ASCLD/LAB Legacy Program.
• Provides reference documents that were reviewed thoroughly for scope, applicability, and accuracy by experts representing the Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM), the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), and the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB).

To download the quality documents or to access the program online, go to the National Forensic Science Technology Center’s Quality Documents Program Web page.