ASCLD Crime Lab Minute January 2, 2019

President's Message

Happy New Year!!! This past year has been a very exciting one for me personally and for us as an organization. Having the opportunity to serve you in this capacity has been amazingly rewarding. Our organization is growing in many ways, increasing our prominence on the national and international stage, and our mission becomes more important each year. We have so much left to accomplish as a Board and as an organization this year, so it adds a sense of urgency for me this week as we announce the opening of registration for the annual symposium. President-Elect Brooke Arnone and the Symposium Planning Committee are doing an amazing job preparing for yet another amazing event. The symposium is truly a “not to miss” event where you get updates on ASCLD initiatives and can network with colleagues. 2019 will be packed with events for ASCLD members. We are about to announce the start of some large initiatives and will be traveling to Puerto Rico next week to help our members there. January is the resumption of the ASCLD “Train the Director” webinar series and many other training opportunities. I urge you to continue to read the President’s Message in the CLM each week. I make a great effort to put all the important updates into these communications. Again, I wish all of you a very happy holiday this week and look forward to seeing you all at the 2019 symposium. READ MORE...

President's Corner

ASCLD Leadership Academy Registration Form

Looking Ahead

January 12-13, 2019 - ASCLD Board of Director's Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico

April 10-12, 2019 - Forensic Laboratory Counsel Training - Richmond, Virginia

May 19-23, 2019 - ASCLD Symposium in St. Louis, MO

2019 ASCLD Symposium

ASCLD is pleased to announce that the 2019 ASCLD Symposium website is live! Come explore the website and watch for upcoming events such as, the exhibitor floor plan launch, agenda development, hotel registration and the opening of the symposium registration.

Visit the 2019 ASCLD Symposium website at https://www.ascldsymposium.com/

Weekly News and Resources

JOBS

NEWS

Just Science Podcast

Forensic Advancement: Just Psychological Resiliency

The FTCoE’s Just Science podcast’s fourth episode in the Forensic Advancement season focuses on trauma and how it can affect those working in Forensic Science. Just Psychological Resiliency is an interview of Dr. David Christiansen, a licensed psychologist in the State of Colorado. He discusses what trauma is and how to be aware of its effect on others. Listeners will learn about psychological wellness and how self-awareness can help develop resiliency to the trauma forensic professionals may experience. Check it out HERE .

Community Research and Surveys

Sexual Assault Evidence Kits National Lab Survey

The ASCLD Board is sending this survey to every CODIS DNA lab in the country to find out how many sexual assault kits are currently in labs and what the current turnaround time is to complete analysis and issue a report. Our intent is to do a nation-wide survey so that there can be a clear distinction between the kits at the labs awaiting analysis and the number sitting on LE shelves awaiting submission. We know that as the law enforcement number is further understood, it will have a huge effect on labs. We need to know the current status so we can be prepared to deal with a continued deluge of kits. The need for this information originates from recent US Senate hearings asking for laboratory data. We are working with several government entities and Project FORESIGHT to ensure that the survey is a good one, that it leads to useful data, and that it can be published to help our cause. Click HERE to access the survey.

Laboratory Crime Scene Questionnaire

The Louisiana State Police is requesting information regarding CSI response from laboratories across the country. Click HERE to access the questionnaire.

Foresight

Will your laboratory be among the 2019 FORESIGHT Maximus award winners? Click HERE to download the LABRAT form and for more information.

Training

ASCLD Leadership Academy

ASCLD is excited to announce registration is NOW OPEN for the 6 ^th Annual ASCLD Leadership Academy in Spring 2019!

The ASCLD Leadership Academy is a training program for managerial personnel in forensic science laboratories. It is designed to deliver training of the highest quality at a cost that recognizes the current strained budgets of labs across the US. The Academy is open to ASCLD members and non-members, alike.

The mission of the ASCLD Leadership Academy is to train managers to become LEADERS. Continuing into its 6th year, the ASCLD Leadership Academy will again offer a 100-level course designed specifically for newly appointed supervisors or supervisors who have had little opportunity for previous formal management training and education. The Academy is a blended training model, combining weekly lecture-style webinars with a “Management Lab” at the annual ASCLD symposium where students will participate in hands-on, practical exercises to develop their skills.

CLICK HERE for more information about the 2019 Leadership Academy course, including the course schedule.

To register for the ASCLD Leadership Academy, please visit: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ascld2019

Please note: The ASCLD Leadership Academy is limited to a maximum registration capacity of 50 students in order to maintain effective instructor to student ratios and facilitate the most effective in-person capstone course logistics. Registration requests received after the course has reached capacity may be waitlisted in the event of last minute cancellations.

International Association for Chemical Testing

This organization has been promoting professionalism in the field of chemical tests for alcohol and other drugs in relation to traffic safety since 1988. The I.A.C.T. is an organization composed primarily of employees of governmental agencies involved in chemical testing in relation to traffic safety. They hold an annual conference at various locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Visit their website at www.iactonline.org for more information.

Upcoming Conferences

March 31 - April 5, 2019 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

April 19 - 24, 2020 in Tucson, Arizona

A Forensic Laboratory Counsel Training will be held on April 10-12, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. The purpose of this training is to bring together forensic laboratory counsel from across the country to discuss the numerous contemporary issues confronting their laboratories. Click HERE more details!

Registration Forms must be received by Friday, March 29th.

Forensic Research Committee

The goal of the Laboratories and Educators Alliance Program (LEAP) is to facilitate collaborative research between academia and forensic science laboratories. This joint effort between the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) and the Council of Forensic Science Educators (COFSE) identifies forensic science needs and provides a platform for laboratories, researchers, and students to seek projects aligning with their mutual research capabilities. Read more...

Newly Identified Novels Psychoactive Substances

Recent Additions:

Nitrazolam

(click drug name for more information)

The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, have received funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop systems for the early identification and notification of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in the drug supply in the United States. The goal of the program is the early identification of these substances in seized drug and forensic toxicology casework samples through various high resolution mass spectrometry retrospective data-mining and sample-mining techniques. Information about these programs can be found on our website .

ASCLD's research efforts with respect to the OPIOD crisis appear in the following article:

Journal of Analytical Toxicology: The Opioid Epidemic: Moving Toward an Integrated, Holistic Analytical Response

Opioid Legislation

Over the past several months, Congress has been developing new legislation aimed at addressing the nation’s opioid epidemic, providing additional funding, and building on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) that became law in 2016. Congressional leaders announced an agreement on H.R. 6 - the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act . Continue reading...

Federal Corner

CDC Updates

CDC Building Forensic Infrastructure and Providing Grant Funding

As the nation’s public health and prevention agency, CDC is applying its scientific expertise to focus on public health prevention, which begins by increasing our understanding of the epidemic itself and then using that information to pivot to tactical steps to prevent further harms. In particular, CDC has identified five key strategies through which we advance our work to address opioid overdose. Those five strategies include: 1) conducting surveillance and research; 2) building state, local, and tribal capacity; 3) supporting providers, health systems, and payers; 4) partnering with public safety; and 5) empowering consumers to make safe choices. A new funding opportunity called “Overdose Data to Action” was recently forecasted on Grants.gov. State health departments, U.S. territories, or their bona fide agents (includes the District of Columbia), Local/county health departments or their bona fide agents may be eligible to apply. The application will be available in early 2019, with an estimated application due date of May 2019 and an estimated project start date of September 2019 Click HERE for application.

DEA Updates

NFLIS Program for Toxicology and ME/Coroners Expansion

Emerging Trends Program

Reference Materials Program

Real-time Network

Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program

DEA Resources