DNAprint Genomics (DNAG)

[GoldEagle]

Some crime lab accreditation info.
Article from 8/25/03
Only New York, Oklahoma, and Texas require accreditation for crime labs. Because the process is both a time- and dollar-intensive procedure, most labs opt not to do it. Forensic science has a long history of independence, and accreditation is not highly regarded by those in the field, says Mike Haas, registrar for the ABC.
According to the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLAD/LAB) in Garner, NC, of the 400 to 500 labs performing forensic work, 240 are fully accredited and 25 currently are seeking accreditation. Ralph Keaton, executive director of ASCLD-LAB, says the process of attaining laboratory accreditation includes examinations for proficiency testing, testimony monitoring, documentation, and validation of procedures and of the physical lab.

A lot of work for something not mandatory, but in light of recent events, Caroline Caskey, president of Identigene, would not have it any other way. "I think all labs should require accreditation," she says. "I think what happened in Houston and in other places is a testament to that."

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