SIST EN ISO 21043-1:2025
(Main)Forensic sciences - Part 1: Terms and definitions (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Forensic sciences - Part 1: Terms and definitions (ISO 21043-1:2025)
This document defines terms used for the different components of the forensic process from scene to courtroom (as illustrated in Figure A.1).
Forensik - Teil 1: Begriffe und Definitionen (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Criminalistique - Partie 1: Termes et définitions (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Le présent document définit les termes utilisés pour les différentes étapes du processus criminalistique, de la scène (d’incident) jusqu’à la présentation devant une juridiction (comme représenté à la Figure A.1).
Forenzične znanosti - 1. del: Izrazi in definicije (ISO 21043-1:2025)
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2025
Forenzične znanosti - 1. del: Izrazi in definicije (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Forensic sciences - Part 1: Terms and definitions (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Forensik - Teil 1: Begriffe und Definitionen (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Criminalistique - Partie 1: Termes et définitions (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 21043-1:2025
ICS:
01.040.07 Naravoslovne in uporabne Natural and applied sciences
vede (Slovarji) (Vocabularies)
07.140 Forenzika Forensic science
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
EN ISO 21043-1
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
June 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 07.140; 01.040.07 Supersedes EN ISO 21043-1:2018
English Version
Forensic sciences - Part 1: Vocabulary (ISO 21043-1:2025)
Criminalistique - Partie 1: Vocabulaire (ISO 21043- Forensik - Teil 1: Begriffe und Definitionen (ISO 21043-
1:2025) 1:2025)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 27 August 2024.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
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United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 21043-1:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
European foreword
This document (EN ISO 21043-1:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 272
"Forensic sciences" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 419 “Forensic Science
Processes” the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by December 2025, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by December 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 21043-1:2018.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 21043-1:2025 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 21043-1:2025 without any
modification.
International
Standard
ISO 21043-1
Second edition
Forensic sciences —
2025-06
Part 1:
Vocabulary
Criminalistique —
Partie 1: Vocabulaire
Reference number
ISO 21043-1:2025(en) © ISO 2025
ISO 21043-1:2025(en)
© ISO 2025
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ii
ISO 21043-1:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
Annex A (informative) Forensic process . 9
Bibliography .10
iii
ISO 21043-1:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
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with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
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patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 272, Forensic sciences, in collaboration with
the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 419, Forensic science
processes, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna
Agreement).
A list of all parts in the ISO 21043 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
ISO 21043-1:2025(en)
Introduction
This document standardizes the use and meaning of terms associated with the forensic sciences. The terms
defined in this document are drawn from standard terms used in the forensic science processes, as contained
in the ISO 21043 series. Discipline-specific standards include their own specific terms and definitions.
This document is part of a series of five that includes the different components of the forensic process from
scene to courtroom (as illustrated in Figure A.1). Other parts of the ISO 21043 series are:
— ISO 21043-2;
— ISO 21043-3;
— ISO 21043-4;
— ISO 21043-5.
This document is organized alphabetically and follows natural (English) word order wherever possible.
v
International Standard ISO 21043-1:2025(en)
Forensic sciences —
Part 1:
Vocabulary
1 Scope
This document defines terms used for the different components of the forensic process from scene to
courtroom (as illustrated in Figure A.1).
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
administrative review
evaluation of records (3.49) to verify consistency with the forensic service provider’s (3.26) administrative
policies and with editorial correctness
3.2
analysis
part of the examination (3.18) consisting of detecting, measuring or comparing the properties of items (3.33),
in order to obtain observations (3.36)
Note 1 to entry: Analysis can be either instrumental, human perception-based, or a combination of the two.
3.3
analytical strategy
choice of method(s) (3.35) and the sequence of analysis (3.2)
Note 1 to entry: An analytical strategy is based in part on relevant case questions and background information.
3.4
area of expertise
discipline in which an examiner (3.20) is competent
3.5
case file
forensic service provider’s (3.26)records (3.49) detailing the forensic process (3.25) including reports (3.55)
related to a case
ISO 21043-1:2025(en)
3.6
categorical opinion
opinion (3.37) that, in the examiner’s (3.20) judgement, one proposition (3.43) or explanation (3.21) is true and
it would be impossible to obtain the observations (3.36) if any of the alternative propositions or explanations
considered were true
EXAMPLE 1 In the examiner’s judgement, the shoe did not make the questioned shoemark.
EXAMPLE 2 In the examiner’s judgement, the cartridge case is of Smith and Wesson brand.
3.7
chain of custody
chronological record (3.49) of the transfer, handling and storage of an item (3.33) from its point of collection
to its final return or disposal
Note 1 to entry: Chain of custody is sometimes referred to as continuity.
3.8
classification
assigning an item (3.33) to one of a number of distinct predefined groups based on shared properties
Note 1 to entry: If classes are defined directly by observations (3.36) that do not require interpretation (3.30),
classification can be performed independent of the examiner (3.20).
3.9
cognitive bias
unconscious deviation from rationality in human judgement caused by influences on, and limitations of,
human information processing
3.10
consumable
single use or limited use material which is used in the forensic process (3.25)
3.11
contamination
introduction, at any point in the forensic process (3.25), of unwanted substances, unwanted data or unwanted
information that can impact observations (3.36) or opinions (3.37)
Note 1 to entry: Contamination includes undesirable transfer of a substance within an item (3.33) or between items.
3.12
control sample
material with known properties, analyzed in order to assess the reliability of observations (3.36)
3.13
customer
authority, organization or person requesting the forensic (3.24) services
3.14
document
information and the medium on which it is stored
EXAMPLE Specification, procedure (3.41), policy, method (3.
...
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