What is the American Board of Criminalistics?

The ABC is composed of regional and national organizations which represent forensic scientists. Each organization is entitled to one member on the ABC Board of Directors and one member on the ABC Examination Committee. The representatives from these organizations can answer any questions about the ABC, certification examinations, proficiency testing, and related issues.

Our Purpose

The Forensic Science community has an obligation to:

• Establish professional levels of knowledge, skills and abilities;
• Define a mechanism for achieving these levels;
• Recognize those who have demonstrated attainment of these levels;
• Promote growth within the profession.

What is Certification?

Certification is a voluntary process of peer review by which a practitioner is recognized as having attained the professional qualifications necessary to practice in one or more disciplines of criminalistics. The ABC offers a certificate in criminalistics, as well as in the specialty disciplines of forensic biology, drug chemistry, fire debris analysis, and trace evidence.