University of Central Florida
Partnership I Building: Center for Public Safety, Forensic Science, and Security
Upcoming TWGFEX Training Classes
Formation of the new Digital and Multimedia Sciences Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, February 20, 2008
NCFS is pleased to announce the formation of the Digital and Multimedia Sciences (DMS) Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) on February 20, 2008 at their Washington, DC meeting. It has been 28 years since the last AAFS section was formed. The officers of the new section who have been Ad Hoc officers for two years, are Director:
DMS Section Officers, Tenure and Affiliation
Director, 2 years: Carrie M. Whitcomb, The National Center for Forensic Science at the University of Central Florida
Chair, 1 year: Zeno Geradts, The Netherlands Forensic Science Institute
Secretary, 1 year: Dave Baker, MITRE Corporation
Mark Pollitt (NCFS/UCF), Richard Vorderbruegge (FBI) and numerous members and potential members have also been instrumental in forming the new section. The AAFS Board of Directors, over the years, have supported the formation of the new section. The Past President of AAFS, Dr. Bruce Goldberger,(UF), has been especially effective in helping us form the section. Our thanks to him!
There were 42 members in the new section. There are 4000 members in AAFS and 64 countries were represented at the Washington, DC meeting. We are soliciting new members for the Digital and Multimedia Sciences Section. Go to www.aafs.org for more information.
The NCFS Is posting two draft documents for community review and comments. They are "A Guide for Planning and Implementing a Computer Forensic Unit" and "A Managers Guide for a Computer Forensic Unit". These two documents are to be used in conjunction with a NIJ Research Report "Forensic Laboratories: Handbook for Facility Planning, Design, Construction and Moving"; April, 1998. We decided not to include information that is already published in this noted Research Report. We welcome your comments and additions.
Please address your response to the following email: bardakjy@mail.ucf.edu
Please add this to the subject line: "Computer Lab Design and Management Review"
Digital Forensics Quality Solutions
On Monday November 5th, 2007 the ASCLD/LAB Board of Directors approved a computer forensic proficiency test. The company producing the test is Digital Forensics Quality Solutions. They are associated with the National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the UCF Department of Continuing Education.
click here to find out more information.
Database for the Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection
NCFS and TWGFEX are proud to announce an updated database for the Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection. The new database allows multiple ignitable liquid classification criteria to be searched simultaneously. This enables the analyst to quickly search the database of over 400 ignitable liquids. Click Databases on the toolbar.
Identifying the Unidentified Dead in Coroners' and Medical Examiners' offices, facilitated by NCFS
The National Center for Forensic Science at the University of Central Florida was instrumental in coordinating and hosting meetings in which medical examiners, coroners, anthropologists, odontologists, and DNA subject-matter experts developed processes to facilitate the identification of the unidentified dead. The NamUs Website,
developed by the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Department (FCMED) and Occupational Research and Assessment, Inc. (ORA Inc.) and endorsed by the National Association of Medical Examiners - (NAME), is the vehicle developed for making this very important resource available to medical-death investigators as well as the families searching for loved ones who are missing. Click the following links below to learn more about NamUs: (NamUs)
- US DOJ/OJP NamUs Press Release, July 2, 2007: click here
- NamUs Background: click here
Follow the activities of the Digital Forensic Certification Board
A Handbook: Mass Fatality Incidents: A Guide for Human Forensic Identification is available at the NIJ
website.
First responders, medical examiners, and coroners will find guidance in this document to help them prepare and
update their jurisdiction’s disaster plans. The report focuses on ways to respectfully safeguard, collect,
process, and identify human remains. The report is the product of a group of multidisciplinary experts on
forensic identification. NIJ convened the group to identify, define, and describe basic criteria to assist medical
examiners’ and coroners’ offices and other public safety agencies who manage the response to mass fatality
incidents.
The report is available online at the National Institute of Justice Web site at:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/199758.htm
NIJ is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and is dedicated to
researching crime control and justice issues. For more information on NIJ, please visit:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij
Forensic Examination of Digital Evidence: A Guide for Law Enforcement
This guide is intended for use by members of the law enforcement community who are responsible for the
examination of digital evidence. The guide, published as an NIJ Special Report, is the second in a series of
guides on investigating electronic crime (see also Electronic Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law
Enforcement). It deals with common situations encountered during the processing and handling of digital
evidence and can be used to help agencies develop their own policies and procedures.
NCFS research into the use of covariance mapping to distinguish between complex ignitable liquids from commercial sources has been featured in the online publication SeperationsNow. Find out more here
Our research into the mass spectral analysis of TATP - (peroxide explosive favored by terrorists) was also featured in a recent article. Find out more here
- Graduate Certificate in Computer Forensics (GCCF)
- UCF Undergraduate Forensic Science Program
- Professional Track Master of Science in Digital Forensics (MSDF)
What is the difference between the Certificate in Computer Forensics and the Graduate Certificate?
click here to find out
A Link to Digital Evidence Education
NCFS is proud to present the following courses:
- Physical Evidence
- Digital Evidence
For more information go here
Mission of NCFS:
The National Center for Forensic Science provides research, education, training, tools and technology to meet the
current and future needs of the forensic science, investigative and criminal justice communities. The NCFS is a
program of the National Institute of Justice hosted by the University of Central Florida.
Vision of NCFS:
The National Center for Forensic Science will lead in providing proactive and innovative solutions to meet the
challenges facing the investigative and forensic science, and criminal justice communities
Current National/Local On-line Databases:
- The Ignitable Liquids Reference Collection database is now online. See the database here
- Fire and Arson mapping, click here for details
NIJ Scene Guides: With the assistance of experts in the field, NIJ has published four scene guides:
Mass Fatality Incidents: A Guide for Human Forensic Identification, Electronic Crime Scene Investigation,
A Guide for Explosion and Bombing Scene Investigation and
Fire and Arson Scene Investigation: A Guide for Public Safety Personnel.
To order hard copies of these publications go to www.ncjrs.org
Contacts:
Mailing Address:
National Center for Forensic Science
University of Central Florida
Post Office Box 162367
Orlando, Florida 32816-2367
Street Address:
National Center for Forensic Science
12354 Research Parkway
Orlando, Florida 32826
E-mail: natlctr@mail.ucf.edu
Phone: (407) 823-6469 FAX: (407) 823-3162
This page is maintained by
David Galat dgalat@mail.ucf.edu
Last update: January 21, 2010