A brief introduction to our Proficiency Tests
Background and test design
Proficiencytesting@forensicfoundations
Forensic Foundations’ Proficiency Tests are designed to address the following issues:
- Relevance to forensic science laboratories;
- Limitation of any potential context information;
- Knowledge of the ‘ground truth’ of the samples; and
- Cost affordability for the laboratories.
ISO17025:2017 identifies risk management as an integral component of any scientific testing. Forensic Foundations has adopted this approach and have designed their Proficiency Tests to address risks, where possible, at all stages of the forensic process. The table in Appendix A outlines some of the risks associated with each stage of the forensic process.
Forensic Foundations has also adopted the framework embodied in the AS 5388 ‘Forensic Analysis’ and the ISO 21043 ‘Forensic Sciences’ series of Standards. These Standards describe the forensic examination process from collection to reporting. Thus, all Forensic Foundations’ Proficiency Tests commence with item collection and/or receipt and all the subsequent examination / analysis steps, culminating in the reporting, thus reflecting actual forensic casework.
Forensic Foundations is accredited to ISO17043 ‘Conformity Assessment – General requirements for proficiency testing’ and currently forensic biology, chemical criminalistics and forensic document examination are covered by the scope of accreditation.
Forensic Foundations’ Proficiency Tests comply with the requirements of:
- ISO17025:2017 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories,
- NATA General Accreditation Criteria Proficiency Testing Policy (2018)
- NATA Specific Accreditation Criteria: ISO/IEC 17025 Application Document, Legal (including Forensic Science) – Appendix (2018)
- ANAB ISO/IEC 17025:2017 – Forensic Science Testing and Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Requirements (2019)
- ANAB Accreditation Manual for Forensic Service Providers (2019)
- Guidance on the Conduct of Proficiency Tests and Collaborative Exercises Within ENSFI (2014)
In addition to offering a program of proficiency tests, Forensic Foundation also offers a number of inter-laboratory collaborative trial. These trials are offered where the test is still in the development phase and/or the tests is niche and/or the field of study is not currently covered by our scope of accreditation.
The Final Reports Forensic Foundations Proficiency Tests will be publicly available via the Forensic Foundations web site however individual laboratory results will remain confidential. Participating laboratories may use the report as outlined in their respective laboratory policies.
2022 - Bio1 Biological examination including biological material ID and DNA
2022 – Bio1 Biological examination including biological material ID and DNA
A summary of the Scenario:
Sexual assault: A male complainant alleges that he has been anally raped by one offender and forced to perform oral sex on a second offender.
Participants will be provided with the complainant’s, medical samples and reference sample.
Reference samples will also be provided from the suspects
Last order dates: December 2021
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 - Bio2 Bloodstain pattern analysis
2022 – Bio2 Bloodstain pattern analysis
A summary of the Scenario:
Assault: Two males are admitted to hospital with serious injuries. They both state that a fight has occurred at a particular location. But their stories are not consistent.
Participants will be provided with the scenarios and detailed high-resolution photographs of the scene.
Last order dates: January 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – Bio3 Biological examination including biological material ID and DNA
2022 – Bio3 Biological examination including biological material ID and DNA
A summary of the Scenario:
Assault. The complainant was attacked on their way home from work, their jewelry and wallet were taken. The complainant believes that there were two assailants The complainant grabbed and held onto a scarf belonging to one of the offenders. The complainant is known to have bled.
Participants will receive clothing from the offender (touch DNA), clothing from the suspects and reference samples
Last order dates: March 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – Bio4 Biological examination including biological material ID and DNA
2022 – Bio4 Biological examination including biological material ID and DNA
A summary of the Scenario:
Sexual Assault. The complainant believes her drinks were spiked at a party and she was sexually assaulted. There was a delay in reporting so there are no medical samples, however her clothing has been collected.
Participants will be provided with clothing from the complainant and reference samples.
Last order dates: June 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – Bio5 Kinship (DNA)
2022 – Bio5 Kinship (DNA)
A summary of the Scenario:
Kinship: Two women gave birth to daughters in the 1960s. The children were both put up for adoption. A 25-year-old man is now searching for his biological family. His mother is deceased, but he has traced her birth to the hospital where these two women gave birth.
Participants will be provided with buccal swabs from the potential grandmothers and alleged grandson
Last order dates: September 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 - CC1 Fibres examination
2022 – CC1 Fibres examination
A summary of the Scenario:
The victim was subject to a violent assault and robbery. He was kicked and punched in the upper body by two assailants. He described the assailants as both wearing stocking masks and fabric gloves.
Participants will be provided with the victim’s upper garment and fabric gloves seized from the two suspects
Last order dates: January 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – CC2 Glass examination
2022 – CC2 Glass examination
A summary of the Scenario:
A car window has been broken and goods stolen from the car.
Participants will be provided with samples of the glass from the car and the debris collected from the suspects’ clothing.
Last order dates: March 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – CC3 Automotive paint examination
2022 – C3 Automotive paint examination
A summary of the Scenario:
A fatal hit run occurred. Automotive paint flakes were recovered from the scene.
Participants will be provided with Paint flakes collected from the scene and samples of paint collected from a number of suspect vehicles.
Last order dates: July 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – CC4 Ignitable fluid residue analysis
2022 – CC4 Ignitable fluid residue analysis
A summary of the Scenario:
The complainant’s car was found badly burnt in their driveway. Was the fire started deliberately using ignitable fluids (arson) or was it accidental?
Participants will be provided with samples of burnt carpet and upholstery from
the car.
Last order dates: September 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – FDE1 Document examination
2022 – FDE1 Document examination
A summary of the Scenario:
A multi-page contract is in dispute, with one of the parties denying that they would agree to the details outlined in the contract.
Participants will be provided with the contract and a number of specimen signatures
Last order dates: February 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – FDE2 Handwriting (numerals) comparison / ink analysis
2022 – FDE2 Handwriting (numerals) comparison / ink analysis
A summary of the Scenario:
An investigation has commenced in relation to handwritten entries in a diary located with a shipment of illicit drugs.
Participants will be provided with a 2021/22 diary containing multiple handwritten entries.
Last order dates: August 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – FP1 Enhancement, detection and identification
2022 – FP1 Enhancement, detection and identification
A summary of the Scenario:
Threating letters have been received by the complainant. They have been printed on a home printer and therefore not suitable for forensic document examination.
Participants will be provided with 3 threatening letters, 10 print sets taken from the complainant and a flat mate and 10 print sets taken from the suspects.
Last order dates: February 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – FP2 Latent marks / 10 print comparisons
2022 – FP2 Latent marks / 10 print comparisons
A summary of the Scenario:
A robbery has occurred at an office and cash and other valuables have been taken. The scene has been dusted for prints and a number of items appear to have been moved. These items have been treated with cyanoacrylate to enhance any finger marks.
Participants will be provided with photographs of the dusted marks and the enhanced marks, 10 print sets taken from two office employees and 10 print sets taken from the suspects.
Last order dates: July 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
2022 – CT1 Digital forensics
2022 – CT1 Digital forensics
A summary of the Scenario:
A private company’s server has been hacked, data altered and externally facing pages defaced.
Participants will be provided with a forensic image of the company’s server.
Last order dates: April 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
Interlaboratory Collaborative Trials are offered where the test is still in the development phase and/or the test is in a niche area of expertise.
2022 – CT2 Personal lubricant examination
2022 – CT1 Digital forensics
A summary of the Scenario:
A private company’s server has been hacked, data altered and externally facing pages defaced.
Participants will be provided with a forensic image of the company’s server.
Last order dates: April 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
Interlaboratory Collaborative Trials are offered where the test is still in the development phase and/or the test is in a niche area of expertise.
2022 – CT3 Clandestine laboratory investigation
2022 – CT3 Clandestine laboratory investigation
A summary of the Scenario:
What appears to be a clandestine laboratory has been located in the basement of a group of flats. Clandestine laboratory specialists have been called and have recorded the scene and collected a number of items.
Participants will be provided with the GC-MS data produced following the analysis of a number of unknown compounds located in the alleged clandestine laboratory.
Last order dates: June 2022
For more info or to purchase click here
Interlaboratory Collaborative Trials are offered where the test is still in the development phase and/or the test is in a niche area of expertise.
Useful Links
Stay in Touch
Sign up to receive regular updates, tips and news via email.
Photos: County Court of Victoria. Used with permission.
© Copyright 2018 Forensic Foundations.
All Rights Reserved.