Acceptance of Continuing Education Opportunities (09-0613S v3.0)
The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) realizes that continuing education opportunities are provided in multiple formats. With the multitude of opportunities, the ABC has adopted the following policy that allows certificants more opportunities to receive recertification points for attendance at such events. Continuing education opportunities include workshops, courses, web-based training, professional meetings, etc.
The burden of providing the necessary information will be on the certificant that is making the request to claim the points. The continuing education should demonstrate that sufficient educational elements have been introduced which add continuing education value to the certificant.
If continuing education has already been approved for CEU and ILU credit AND the credit is notated on the certificate, no further information is necessary. Limited access classes, not open to the general forensic science community, may not be considered. General laboratory trainings such as safety training, bloodborne pathogen training, harassment training, etc. may not be claimed for recertification points. To claim points, continuing education must be relevant to forensic science and the certification(s) held.
The ABC maintains a list of continuing education opportunities on the website www.criminalistics.com. If a continuing education opportunity is not on the list, the following items must be submitted:
If all information is not provided, the event will not be considered. Additional information may be offered in support, such as a web-link, but should not be a substitute for the above requested information.
Policy for claiming recertification points for continuing education:
Points will be given for half day or full day attendance. A half day is defined as 3 hours to < 6 hours and a full day is 6 hours or more. Points are awarded for scheduled hours and include lunches, breaks, etc. Certificants are NOT expected to reduce points to accommodate lunch, breaks or early release.
ABC Approval Process of Courses and Web-Based Education:
Records Retention:
Submitted materials will be maintained for 5 years or until the content and instructors change. The records of approved courses will be maintained in the ABC business records.
Approved Courses and Trainings
The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) realizes that continuing education opportunities are provided in multiple formats. With the multitude of opportunities, the ABC has adopted the following policy that allows certificants more opportunities to receive recertification points for attendance at such events. Continuing education opportunities include workshops, courses, web-based training, professional meetings, etc.
The burden of providing the necessary information will be on the certificant that is making the request to claim the points. The continuing education should demonstrate that sufficient educational elements have been introduced which add continuing education value to the certificant.
If continuing education has already been approved for CEU and ILU credit AND the credit is notated on the certificate, no further information is necessary. Limited access classes, not open to the general forensic science community, may not be considered. General laboratory trainings such as safety training, bloodborne pathogen training, harassment training, etc. may not be claimed for recertification points. To claim points, continuing education must be relevant to forensic science and the certification(s) held.
The ABC maintains a list of continuing education opportunities on the website www.criminalistics.com. If a continuing education opportunity is not on the list, the following items must be submitted:
- Topic or Title;
- Course outline, syllabus, or learning objectives
If all information is not provided, the event will not be considered. Additional information may be offered in support, such as a web-link, but should not be a substitute for the above requested information.
Policy for claiming recertification points for continuing education:
Points will be given for half day or full day attendance. A half day is defined as 3 hours to < 6 hours and a full day is 6 hours or more. Points are awarded for scheduled hours and include lunches, breaks, etc. Certificants are NOT expected to reduce points to accommodate lunch, breaks or early release.
- Events that are less than 3 contact hours may be combined. Clear records of the combined courses and how they add up to 3 contact hours shall be provided.
- In order to claim specialty points, the events must be within the specialty and any group/series of such events must all be within the specialty area that is being claimed. If the combination of courses are not within a given specialty area, the points can only be claimed on the Recertification Professional Development Report (09-0601F).
- The burden of proving attendance will be on the certificate holder that is claiming the points. The proof of attendance must include objective documentation that the individual was present during the event.
ABC Approval Process of Courses and Web-Based Education:
- The certificant will submit the topic or title of the course and the course outline, syllabus, or learning objectives to the ABC Registrar’s Office.
- The Recertification Liaison or Recertification Committee Chair will review the information provided and determine if points can be awarded for event and will determine a maximum points allotment for the opportunity.
- If the individual reviewing the event does not believe the event qualifies for points, a second person (Recertification Liaison or Recertification Committee Chair) will be consulted to ensure that both agree.
- If points will not be granted for an event, the Recertification Liaison will contact the certificant with a notification as to why the points were not counted.
- The list of accepted continuing education will be updated as soon as practicable.
- The Board of Directors will be consulted if necessary.
- Obsolete or outdated continuing education events will be removed from the list as deemed necessary by the Recertification Liaison or the Recertification Committee Chair(s).
Records Retention:
Submitted materials will be maintained for 5 years or until the content and instructors change. The records of approved courses will be maintained in the ABC business records.
Approved Courses and Trainings