certification
Certification is a voluntary process of peer review by which a practitioner is recognized for attaining the professional qualifications necessary to practice in one or more disciplines of criminalistics.
Purpose
The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) was formed by a majority of the nation’s forensic science associations to establish a certification process. The ABC Board is comprised of representatives from these forensic organizations. Your forensic representatives can answer any questions which you may have regarding the certification process.
Objectives
Areas of Testing
Following acceptance of a completed application, candidates must pass an examination which tests subject areas of criminalistics including:
Testing
The current examinations offered are:
Comprehensive Criminalistics Examination (CCE)
Drug Analysis (DA)
Molecular Biology (MB)
Fire Debris Analysis (FD)
Hairs and Fibers (HF)
Paints and Polymers (PP)
All ABC examinations are three hours in length and consist of 220 multiple choice questions (a few are multiple-multiple choice), 200 of which will be scored, and 20 which are being piloted for future examinations. The questions are divided 60-40%, general to specialty questions except for the CCE. The CCE is a comprehensive examination which is 100% drawn from the areas of law, safety, ethics and all disciplines in a crime laboratory. Where Specialty Examinations have not been planned or developed (e.g. explosives, soils, etc.), the CCE can be taken instead.
Study Guides
Study guides consisting of sample questions, bibliography and knowledge, skills and abilities are available for each examination. The guides can be downloaded in PDF form.
Certification Status
There are two levels of certification that can be attained, Diplomate and Fellow, along with a certification-eligible Affiliate Status.
Diplomate (D-ABC) - Certification as a Diplomate of the ABC, denoted by the designation D-ABC, is awarded to individuals with a BS/BA in a natural science, two years of forensic laboratory or teaching experience, and upon successful completion of any ABC Examination.
Diplomate status is designed for laboratory directors, supervisors, educators, or those no longer able to maintain the proficiency testing requirement for Fellow status.
Fellow (F-ABC) - Certification as a Fellow of the ABC, denoted by the designation F-ABC, is awarded to individuals who fulfill the requirements listed for Diplomate status in addition to successful performance on a proficiency test, and a minimum of two years experience in the specialty area.
An ABC Fellow status signifies that the analyst is qualified to conduct examinations in the specialty area to which they are certified.
Affiliate Status - An individual who meets all requirements for certification except for the two year forensic laboratory or teaching experience may sit for any examination and upon successful completion of the examination they become “Certification Eligible” until they complete their two years experience in the specialty tested.
Click here for detailed certification eligibility requirements
Recertification
Certification is valid for five years. All certificates will expire on the fifth anniversary of the Diplomate or Fellow Certificate. Recertification can be accomplished by continued participation in the field of Forensic Science through training, casework, publishing, etc. or by retesting.
Fellows must successfully participate in annual proficiency testing.
Appeals
The ABC has an Appeals Procedure related to issues of certification application, examination, and recertification.
Purpose
The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) was formed by a majority of the nation’s forensic science associations to establish a certification process. The ABC Board is comprised of representatives from these forensic organizations. Your forensic representatives can answer any questions which you may have regarding the certification process.
Objectives
- To set and measure professional levels of knowledge, skill and abilities.
- To guide professionals in the attainment of professional levels of competence.
- To provide a means of evaluating the competence of practitioners.
- To provide a formal process for the recognition of practitioners who meet the professional level of competence.
Areas of Testing
Following acceptance of a completed application, candidates must pass an examination which tests subject areas of criminalistics including:
- The philosophical, conceptual and scientific basis of criminalistics.
- Basic technical subjects of criminalistics, including:
- Drug analysis
- Crime scene reconstruction
- Firearms and toolmarks
- Molecular biology and DNA
- Fire debris and explosives
- Photography
- Trace evidence
- Safety
- Ethics.
- Appropriate areas of civil and criminal law.
Testing
The current examinations offered are:
Comprehensive Criminalistics Examination (CCE)
Drug Analysis (DA)
Molecular Biology (MB)
Fire Debris Analysis (FD)
Hairs and Fibers (HF)
Paints and Polymers (PP)
All ABC examinations are three hours in length and consist of 220 multiple choice questions (a few are multiple-multiple choice), 200 of which will be scored, and 20 which are being piloted for future examinations. The questions are divided 60-40%, general to specialty questions except for the CCE. The CCE is a comprehensive examination which is 100% drawn from the areas of law, safety, ethics and all disciplines in a crime laboratory. Where Specialty Examinations have not been planned or developed (e.g. explosives, soils, etc.), the CCE can be taken instead.
Study Guides
Study guides consisting of sample questions, bibliography and knowledge, skills and abilities are available for each examination. The guides can be downloaded in PDF form.
Certification Status
There are two levels of certification that can be attained, Diplomate and Fellow, along with a certification-eligible Affiliate Status.
Diplomate (D-ABC) - Certification as a Diplomate of the ABC, denoted by the designation D-ABC, is awarded to individuals with a BS/BA in a natural science, two years of forensic laboratory or teaching experience, and upon successful completion of any ABC Examination.
Diplomate status is designed for laboratory directors, supervisors, educators, or those no longer able to maintain the proficiency testing requirement for Fellow status.
Fellow (F-ABC) - Certification as a Fellow of the ABC, denoted by the designation F-ABC, is awarded to individuals who fulfill the requirements listed for Diplomate status in addition to successful performance on a proficiency test, and a minimum of two years experience in the specialty area.
An ABC Fellow status signifies that the analyst is qualified to conduct examinations in the specialty area to which they are certified.
Affiliate Status - An individual who meets all requirements for certification except for the two year forensic laboratory or teaching experience may sit for any examination and upon successful completion of the examination they become “Certification Eligible” until they complete their two years experience in the specialty tested.
Click here for detailed certification eligibility requirements
Recertification
Certification is valid for five years. All certificates will expire on the fifth anniversary of the Diplomate or Fellow Certificate. Recertification can be accomplished by continued participation in the field of Forensic Science through training, casework, publishing, etc. or by retesting.
Fellows must successfully participate in annual proficiency testing.
Appeals
The ABC has an Appeals Procedure related to issues of certification application, examination, and recertification.