Midterm Deck

Question 1

This is implementing a statement of intent to serve as guidelines or rules for a plan of action.

Answer 1

What is policy?

Question 2

These are the specific orders of action to conduct a series of official proceedings.

Answer 2

What are procedures?

Question 3

These are the step-by-step instructions assembled by an organization to achieve competence, quality output, and standardization of performance.

Answer 3

What is an SOP?

Question 4

What is the difference between quality assurance and quality control?

Answer 4

Quality assurance refers to actions taken in a lab to monitor its performance, while quality control refers to measures taken to ensure the product, results, and interpretation meet a specified quality standard.

Question 5

What year was the ISO/IEC 17025 published?

Answer 5

1999

Question 6

To certify compliance with state/federal laws and regulations, providing streamlined internal processes.

Answer 6

What is the purpose of policy and procedures?

Question 7

What consists of an administrative SOP? List 4 things.

Answer 7

1) Agency overview
2) Scope
3) General personnel guidelines
4) In-service training

Question 8

Provides an overall description of requirements for forensic testing laboratories that ASCLD, ISO, and the FBI provide.

Answer 8

What is the purpose of a quality manual?

Question 9

What is the ASCLD, and where was it founded?

Answer 9

ASCLD - American Society of Crime Lab Directors

Founded in the US

Question 10

This is the accepted or approved example of something against which others are judged.

Answer 10

What is a standard?

Question 11

This is the standard of science.

Answer 11

What is the scientific method?

Question 12

This is the standard of quality.

Answer 12

What is quality management standard, ISO 9001:2015?

Question 13

What important information is provided in a personnel file?

Answer 13

Signed and dated certification of personnel proficiency

Question 14

What are the 3 facets of equipment needed for documentation?

Answer 14

1) Inspection
2) Maintenance
3) Calibration

Question 15

How are equipment records kept?

Answer 15

Via computer tracking documenting any and all maintenance performed on a piece of equipment

Question 16

What are the 4 parameters for method validation?

Answer 16

1) Sensitivity
2) Specificity
3) Linearity
4) Reproducibility

Question 17

What does ISO stand for?

Answer 17

International Organization for Standardization

Question 18

What is the purpose of maintaining separate evidence facilities?

Answer 18

Preventing cross-contamination

Question 19

Why must environmental factors be considered when establishing control over lab facilities?

Answer 19

They can influence the validity of test results

Question 20

This is the hazard information provided by chemical manufacturers to downstream users.

Answer 20

What is a safety data sheet (SDS)?

Question 21

What information can you find on an SDS?

Answer 21

Pretty much everything you can think about for a chemical

Question 22

What education and training does ISO require?

Answer 22

Education - Graduate and/or undergraduate coursework, depending on position, in biology, chemistry, or forensic science

Training - Policy and procedure for identifying training needs as well as programs relevant to present and anticipated lab tasks

Question 23

This is the mandate that employers and employees must be informed of the hazards of all chemicals used in the lab.

Answer 23

What is OSHA’s right-to-know?

Question 24

The official name of OSHA’s right-to-know (HINT: HCS).

Answer 24

What is the 1910.1200 Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)?

Question 25

What big takeaway did Peter Neufeld, co-director of the Innocence Project, say about the Virginia crime lab errors (2 things)?

Answer 25

(1) The audit revealed that the senior DNA analyst made serious errors in many state capital cases, and (2) the lab's system to catch the errors failed.

Question 26

Why did HPD's former DNA chief Vanessa Nelson resign?

Answer 26

She and two criminalists in HPD's biology department openly discussed what to look for and how to identify specific body fluids in an active proficiency test

Question 27

Why did the Houston Crime Lab come under fire in 2002?

Answer 27

From 1987 onward, an independent review found serious problems with DNA and blood evidence analysis across multiple cases. Three of these cases involved death row inmates.

Question 28

What happened in April 2017 at the Massachusetts state crime lab?

Answer 28

Chemist Annie Dookan made national headlines for misconduct leading to the dismissal of 21,000-plus drug convictions (largest in US history)

Question 29

What are the 3 key elements of a QA program?

Answer 29

1) Ensure samples are not contaminated 2) Ensure samples are handled properly 3) Ensure all of the above is properly documented

Question 30

These are procedures that are specific to a particular study as opposed to SOPs, which have general application to lab operations.

Answer 30

What are study protocols?