American Board of Criminalistics

About This Association

The ABC program is based in large part on the work done by the Criminalistics Certification Study Committee (CCSC). From 1975 to 1979, there were more than 25 individuals from all regions of the U.S. and Canada who were active in the CCSC. They represented many disciplines, all regional associations, and a diverse array of laboratories. They studied and deliberated over the problems associated with testing and certification, and surveyed the profession on its views. Despite an affirmative vote of almost 50% for their program by the members of professional associations polled, no certification program was implemented by the CCSC. Building on the CCSC work and philosophy, the California Association of Criminalists (CAC) developed a certification program. The initial stage of the CAC program was the development of an examination designed to assess the overall competence of certification candidates. Those candidates who passed the examination, and who met other requirements, were issued a Certificate of Professional Competency in Criminalistics. Their program recognized that the changing nature of the work required increasing specialization, but maintained a strong commitment to a solid foundation in the full range of criminalistics. The ABC was incorporated in 1989 in response to a need perceived by many criminalists for a national certification program. Since incorporation, more than 40 persons have served on the Board and the Examinations Committee, and almost 200 forensic scientists have served on Peer Groups, and Recertification, Credentialing or Proficiency Committees. These persons have been drawn from a broad cross-section of working criminalists, supervisors, and laboratory directors from government and private laboratories in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Each has brought his/her own view of certification to create the program now offered by the ABC.

Publications

Conventions

Annual

Specialties:

1. Legal

Information Summary