History
In a 1995 report, the Strategic Planning Committee of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) reported that the quality and standards applied by different forensic boards for granting certification varied widely. The Committee recommended that AAFS should assume a role in establishing a formal mechanism whereby the different credentialing processes of the various certifying boards can be objectively assessed. During the review of this issue, AAFS recognized that an important aspect of professional oversight is monitoring the quality and consistency of credentialing of forensic specialists by the various forensic boards; i.e., accrediting the certifiers. Groundwork was laid to accomplish this in 1996 by the AAFS “Professional Oversight” committee and by the AAFS “Mini-Task Force on Criteria for Specialist Certifying Boards”. The “Accreditation and Certification Task Force”, now known as the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board (FSAB), with grant assistance from NIJ, was formed to develop a voluntary program to objectively assess, recognize and monitor the various forensic specialty boards which seek accreditation. FSAB was incorporated as an independent organization in Colorado on June 23, 2000.
While working to develop this program, FSAB considered the accreditation of forensic boards by an independent organization as an option. There are at least two major organizations in the United States that set standards for individuals’ specialties, the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The NCCA accredits certifying organizations which meet their standards, including standards for education and examinations. The ABMS is a board which primarily sets standards for disciplines within the medical profession, such as radiology, surgery, etc. Forensic Pathology is already listed as a specialty under the ABMS (as a sub-group under Pathology). A forensic specialty board could demonstrate compliance with national standards by being accredited by the NCCA. While this course of action is objective, the forensic community would be unwisely delegating its professional oversight responsibility to non-forensic organizations. Additionally, because of the unique nature of the forensic disciplines and the relatively small numbers of specialists credentialed by each organization, the forensic boards would be better assessed by an accrediting organization dedicated to that task and which has a thorough understanding of the forensic disciplines.