ASTM E1732-96a

Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science

SCOPE
1.1 This is a compilation of terms and corresponding definitions used in the forensic sciences. Legal or scientific terms that are generally understood or defined adequately in other readily available sources may not be included.  
1.2 A definition is a single sentence with additional information included in notes. It is reviewed every five years, and the year of last review or revision is appended.  
1.3 Definitions identical to those published by another standards organization or ASTM committee are identified with the abbreviation of the name of the organization or the identifying document and ASTM committee; for example, ASME is the American Society of Mechanical Engineering.  
1.4 Definitions of terms specific to a particular field are identified with an abbreviation.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Oct-1995
• ICS: 01.040.11 - Health care technology (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 11.020 - Medical sciences and health care facilities in general
• Technical Committee: E30 - Forensic Sciences
• Drafting Committee: E30.92 - Terminology

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM E1732-96a(2005) - Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2005
• Referred By: ASTM E2708-21a - Standard Terminology for Accreditation and Certification
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E2125-19 - Standard Practice for Microcrystal Testing in Forensic Analysis for Phencyclidine and Its Analogues
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E3150-18 - Standard Guide for Forensic Audio Laboratory Setup and Maintenance
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E2227-23e1 - Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Dyes in Textile Fibers by Thin-Layer Chromatography
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E2548-16 - Standard Guide for Sampling Seized Drugs for Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E2825-21 - Standard Guide for Forensic Digital Image Processing
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E860-22 - Standard Practice for Examining and Preparing Items That Are or May Become Involved in Criminal or Civil Litigation
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E3245-20e1 - Standard Guide for Systematic Approach to the Extraction, Analysis, and Classification of Ignitable Liquids and Ignitable Liquid Residues in Fire Debris Samples
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E2124-20 - Standard Specification for Equipment and Supplies in Sexual Violence Investigations
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E3295-23 - Standard Guide for Using Micro X-Ray Fluorescence (μ-XRF) in Forensic Polymer Examinations
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E2451-21 - Standard Practice for Preserving Ignitable Liquids and Ignitable Liquid Residue Extracts from Fire Debris Samples
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E3296-22 - Standard Guide for Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry in Forensic Polymer Examinations
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E3197-23 - Standard Terminology Relating to Examination of Fire Debris
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995
• Referred By: ASTM E3316-22 - Standard Guide for Forensic Examination of Hair by Microscopy
• Effective Date: 10-Oct-1995

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:E1732–96a
Standard Terminology
Relating to Forensic Science
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1732; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 4. Terminology
1.1 This is a compilation of terms and corresponding 4.1 Definitions:
definitions used in the forensic sciences. Legal or scientific
accelerant, n—any material used to initiate or promote the
terms that are generally understood or defined adequately in
spread of a fire. The most common accelerants are flam-
other readily available sources may not be included.
mable or combustible liquids. Whether a substance is an
1.2 A definition is a single sentence with additional infor-
accelerant depends not on its chemical structure but on its
mation included in notes. It is reviewed every five years, and
use (source: IAAI Forensic Science Committee, Glossary of
the year of last review or revision is appended.
Terms Related to Chemical and Instrumental Analysis of
1.3 Definitions identical to those published by another
Fire Debris ) (use: Test Method E 1387) CRIM.
standards organization orASTM committee are identified with
associative evidence, n—that evidence which tends to link a
the abbreviation of the name of the organization or the
person, place, or thing with another person, place, or thing.
identifying document and ASTM committee; for example,
class, n—a group, set, or kind marked by common attributes or
ASME is the American Society of Mechanical Engineering.
a common attribute (source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictio-
1.4 Definitions of terms specific to a particular field are
nary, 1967) (use: Test Method E 1387) CRIM.
identified with an abbreviation.
class characteristic(s), n—the attribute(s) that establish mem-
bership in a class.
2. Referenced Documents
classification, n—the systematic arrangement of persons or
2.1 ASTM Standards:
objects into categories (groups or classes) based on shared
E 1387 Test Method for Flammable or Combustible Liquid
traits or characteristics (source: Osterburg and Ward, Crimi-
Residues in Extracts from Samples of Fire Debris By Gas
nal Investigation, 1992, p. 835) (use: Test Method E 1387).
Chromatography
comparison sample, n—(fire debris) 1) a sample of material
E 1422 Guide for Test Methods for Forensic Writing Ink
collected from a fire scene which is, to the best of the
Comparison
investigator’s knowledge, identical in every respect to a
E 1610 Guide for Forensic PaintAnalysis and Comparison
sample suspected of containing ignitable substance, but
which does not contain ignitable substance. 2) a sample of
3. Significance and Use
suspected ignitable substance submitted for the purpose of
3.1 These terms have particular application to the forensic
comparing with any ignitable substance separated from a
sciences. In addition, a hierarchy o
...