Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies requirements and provides recommendations for the interpretation of observations in order to reach opinions that answer questions that are relevant for decision making in investigations or legal proceedings. This document states requirements that are applicable to all forensic disciplines. This document states requirements that apply when the opinion is based directly on human judgment and when the opinion is based on interpretation through a statistical model. This document is applicable to interpretation that occurs at a scene, within a forensic facility or within a judicial setting.

Interpretation is not necessary, and the requirements of this standard do not apply, if the observations resulting from the analysis directly answer the relevant question.

EXAMPLE In analytical chemistry, substances are often identified or classified. Provided that the applied analytical methods are not limited in selectivity or sensitivity for the given question, the observations can lead to a direct statement of the name of the substance (identification) or a type of material (classification). This is not considered interpretation for the purposes of this standard.