ISO Accreditation Mentoring

RSA Forensics Quality Management Division

Justice Department announces new accreditation policies to advance forensic science

Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates announced today that the Justice Department will, within the next four years, require department-run forensic labs to obtain and maintain accreditation and require all department prosecutors to use accredited labs to process forensic evidence when practicable. Additionally, the department has decided to use its grant funding mechanisms to encourage other labs around the country to pursue accreditation.

Read Press Release Here

Mandated accreditation is coming to your state!
Will you be proactive or reactive?

Click a red state to see state specific statutes

United States map showing states with mandated forensic accreditation US Virgin Islands Missouri Texas Hawaii California North Carolina Oklahoma District of Columbia Minnesota Maryland New York Indiana

Accreditation programs are the primary method states use to ensure their laboratories follow best practices. As we have seen in recent years, more and more states are statutorily requiring accreditation for some or all examinations conducted at their forensic labs. Agencies that do not have a full service crime laboratory but does provide limited services in crime scene, latent print, firearms, or controlled substance examinations will likely fall under these same statutory requirements soon. Be proactive; don’t wait for legislators to come up with your game plan. Your clients are counting on you. It is not a matter of “if” but “when” this is coming your way.

The quality specialists at RSA Forensics have helped organizations achieve accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, 17020 and 17043. We’ve developed a process of mentoring that can assist any agency recognize their goals. There are several steps involved such as writing policy and procedure manuals, conducting internal audits, and performing corrective action. Our mentors can provide guidance with individual tasks (like gap analysis or internal audits), or we can assist you from beginning to end. The choice is entirely yours.

Your agency doesn’t have to approach accreditation alone. Having a trusted and experienced partner can help you achieve sustainable success. The RSA Forensics quality management staff are available to discuss details of the mentoring process and help you determine the best option for the realization of your goals.

List of states that mandate accreditation by law

Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. The Secretary of State offices for each state may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

California

District of Columbia

Hawaii

Indiana

Maryland

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Texas

PDF Gov. Code §411.0205

US Virgin Islands

Do you have questions? Need help?

To discuss RSA Forensics Quality Management Services, please contact Emma Dutton at quality@rsaforensics.com or call RS&A at 1-866-832-6772.