ASTM E2057-23

Standard Specifications for Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual Violence Investigations

ABSTRACT
These specifications describe the basic elements of a request for the scientific examination of physical evidence collected in the investigation of a sexual assault. These specifications outline considerations that will facilitate the analysis of sexual assault evidence by a potentially large group of forensic experts. The request for scientific examination of sexual assault evidence should include a completed sexual assault medical/nurse sexual assault examiner/medical examiner evaluation form in accordance with the requirements.
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 These specifications are designed to ensure that evidence associated with a sexual violence investigation is handled and analyzed in the most useful manner and without wasting evidentiary materials and analytical time or resources, or both.
SCOPE
1.1 These specifications describe the basic elements of a request for the scientific examination of physical evidence collected in the investigation of a sexual violence incident. These specifications are designed to be used in conjunction with other specifications, guides, and practices associated with sexual violence examinations that are listed in Section 2.  
1.2 These specifications outline considerations that facilitate the analysis of sexual violence evidence by forensic experts. These experts can include, but are not limited to, serologists, toxicologists, pathologists, odontologists, latent print examiners, firearm and toolmark examiners, and trace materials analysts. The success of their combined work requires a clear understanding of the issues and relationships involved in the case.  
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Aug-2023
• ICS: 13.310 - Protection against crime
• Technical Committee: E30 - Forensic Sciences
• Drafting Committee: E30.11 - Interdisciplinary Forensic Science Standards

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM E2057-10(2015) - Standard Specifications for Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual Assault Investigations
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2023
• Refers: ASTM E1732-24 - Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
• Effective Date: 01-Feb-2024
• Refers: ASTM E1732-22 - Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
• Effective Date: 01-Apr-2022
• Referred By: ASTM E2123-20 - Standard Practice for Preservation of Evidence in Sexual Violence Investigation
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2023
• Referred By: ASTM E2124-20 - Standard Specification for Equipment and Supplies in Sexual Violence Investigations
• Effective Date: 01-Sep-2023

Overview

ASTM E2057-23: Standard Specifications for Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual Violence Investigations provides a structured framework for creating requests for scientific examination of evidence collected during sexual violence investigations. Developed by ASTM International under the jurisdiction of Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences, this standard ensures that laboratory analysis requests support effective forensic examination and resource management. The document guides users-including law enforcement, forensic laboratories, and legal professionals-in delivering thorough, well-documented requests that facilitate accurate and timely analyses by forensic experts.

Key Topics

• Comprehensive Documentation
  The standard specifies the essential information required in analysis requests, such as demographic details of involved individuals, descriptions of clothing, events timeline, and relationships between parties. Complete documentation provides critical context, enabling forensic scientists to interpret evidence accurately.

• Collaboration Across Disciplines
  With input required from serologists, toxicologists, pathologists, odontologists, latent print examiners, firearm and toolmark examiners, and trace materials analysts, ASTM E2057-23 emphasizes interdisciplinary cooperation. Clear communication between investigators and expert analysts is fundamental for effective evidence handling.

• Evidence Preservation and Management
  Properly prepared requests reduce the risk of unnecessary or destructive testing, preserving evidence for the most impactful examinations. This aligns with the standard’s objective to minimize waste of evidentiary materials, time, and laboratory resources.

• Alignment with Protocols and Forms
  The standard references the inclusion of completed sexual assault medical, nurse examiner, or medical examiner forms, ensuring alignment with established investigative and medical protocols (e.g., ASTM E1843).

Applications

ASTM E2057-23 is applied throughout the chain of custody for evidence in sexual violence cases, benefitting multiple stakeholders:

• Law Enforcement and Investigators
  Use the specifications to prepare and submit fully detailed and standardized analysis requests to forensic laboratories, ensuring all relevant case context accompanies the evidence.

• Forensic Laboratories
  Laboratories rely on these comprehensive requests to efficiently allocate analytical resources, prioritize testing, and avoid redundant procedures, optimizing the value of every piece of evidence.

• Medical and Legal Professionals
  By ensuring that medical examiner or nurse examiner forms are included, the standard supports cross-disciplinary data gathering, which is vital for legal proceedings and secondary investigations.

• Quality Assurance
  Adoption of ASTM E2057-23 promotes consistency and reliability in forensic evidence processing, supporting broader organizational or jurisdictional compliance and accreditation efforts.

Related Standards

ASTM E2057-23 is designed to function alongside other national and international standards in forensic science and sexual violence investigation. Important referenced and related standards include:

• ASTM E1732 - Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
  This standard provides uniform terminology and definitions essential for interpreting forensic science documents and reports.

• ASTM E1843 - Guide for Sexual Violence Investigation, Examination, and Evidence Collection Protocol
  A comprehensive guide detailing procedures for evidence collection and examination in cases of sexual violence, ensuring quality and consistency in evidence handling.

• International Standards Principles
  Developed in accordance with the World Trade Organization’s principles for the development of international standards, ASTM E2057-23 supports global harmonization in forensic best practices.

By implementing ASTM E2057-23, organizations contribute to the effective and ethical analysis of sexual violence evidence, ensuring justice while safeguarding limited forensic resources. This standard is a key component for any agency looking to elevate its investigative and laboratory evidence submission procedures.

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E2057 − 23 An American National Standard
Standard Specifications for
Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual
Violence Investigations
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2057; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
The meaningful analysis of physical evidence recovered in sexual violence investigations requires
the careful attention to the preservation of easily damaged or degraded biological materials as well as
the transmittal of a clear description and explanation of that evidence for the examining analyst. This
description should include the source of, and relationships between, different evidence items and is
sometimes referred to as a “case synopsis.” The more information the analysts have at their disposal
concerning the circumstances of the incident and the relationship(s) of the involved individuals, the
more successful their efforts will be in resolving questions in the investigation. Failure to adequately
document and report this information in the request for scientific analysis could lead to the application
of useless tests of the evidence that can destroy materials better used in other more meaningful
examinations.
1. Scope ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
1.1 These specifications describe the basic elements of a
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
request for the scientific examination of physical evidence
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
collected in the investigation of a sexual violence incident.
These specifications are designed to be used in conjunction
2. Referenced Documents
with other specifications, guides, and practices associated with
2.1 ASTM Standards:
sexual violence examinations that are listed in Section 2.
E1732 Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
1.2 These specifications outline considerations that facilitate
E1843 Guide for Sexual Violence Investigation,
the analysis of sexual violence evidence by forensic experts.
Examination, and Evidence Collection Protocol
These experts can include, but are not limited to, serologists,
3. Terminology
toxicologists, pathologists, odontologists, latent print
examiners, firearm and toolmark examiners, and trace materi- 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in these
als analysts. The success of their combined work requires a specifications, refer to Terminology E1732.
clear understanding of the issues and relationships involved in
4. Summary of Practice
the case.
4.1 Requests for laboratory analysis should be supported by
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
sufficient documentation to allow the forensic science service
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
provider to understand the conditions surrounding the incident
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
and the relationship(s) between different items of evidence.
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 4.2 These specifications are used in conjunction with Guide
E1843.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
5. Significance and Use
5.1 These specifications are designed to ensure that evi-
dence associated with a sexual violence investigation is
These specifications are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on
Forensic Sciences and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.11 on
Interdisciplinary Forensic Science Standards. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2023. Published November 2023. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 2000. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as E2057 – 10 (2015). Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
DOI:10.1520/E2057-23. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM Interna
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E2057 − 10 (Reapproved 2015) E2057 − 23 An American National Standard
Standard Specifications for
Preparation of Laboratory Analysis Requests in Sexual
AssaultViolence Investigations
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2057; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
The meaningful analysis of physical evidence recovered in sexual assaultviolence investigations
requires not only the careful attention to the preservation of easily damaged or degraded biological
materials but also as well as the transmittal of a clear description and explanation of that evidence for
the examining scientists/analysts/criminalists.analyst. This description should include the source of,
and relationships between, different evidence items and is sometimes referred to as a “case synopsis.”
The more information the analysts have at their disposal concerning the circumstances of the
assaultincident and the relationship(s) of the victim(s) and suspect(s), involved individuals, the more
successful their efforts will be in resolving questions in the investigation. Failure to adequately
document and report this information in the request for scientific analysis could lead to the application
of useless tests of the evidence that maycan destroy materials better used in other more meaningful
examinations.
1. Scope
1.1 These specifications describe the basic elements of a request for the scientific examination of physical evidence collected in
the investigation of a sexual assault. violence incident. These specifications are designed to be used in conjunction with other
specifications, guides, and practices associated with sexual assaultviolence examinations that are listed in Section 2.
1.2 These specifications outline considerations that will facilitate the analysis of sexual assaultviolence evidence by a potentially
large group of forensic experts. These experts can include, but are not limited to, serologists, toxicologists, pathologists,
odontologists, latent print examiners, firearm and toolmark examiners, and trace materials analysts. The success of their combined
work generally requires a clear understanding of the issues and relationships involved in the case.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
These specifications are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.11 on
Interdisciplinary Forensic Science Standards.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2015Sept. 1, 2023. Published January 2015November 2023. Originally approved in 2000. Last previous edition approved in 20102015
as E2057 – 10.E2057 – 10 (2015). DOI:10.1520/E2057-10R15.DOI:10.1520/E2057-23.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E2057 − 23
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E1732 Terminology Relating to Forensic Science
E1843 Guide for Sexual Violence Investigation, Examination, and Evidence Collection Protocol
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in these specifications, see therefer to CompilationTerminology E1732of ASTM
Standard Definitions. (1990).
4. Summary of Practice
4.1 Requests for laboratory analysis should be supported by sufficient documentation to allow the laboratory scientist(s) forensic
science service provider to understand the conditions surrounding the assaultincident and the relationship(s) between different
items of evidence.
4.2 These specifications are to be used in conjunction with Guide E1843.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 These specifications are designed to ensure that evidence associated with a sexual assaultviolence investigation is handled and
analyzed in the most useful manner and without wasting evidentiary materials and analytical time or resources, or both.
6. Procedure
6.1 The request for scientific examination of sexual violence evidence should include a completed medical examiner or SANE
evaluation form, in accordance with Guide E1843.
6.2 The request for scientific examination of sexual assault evide
...