California Association of Criminalists


Since 1954
 

Ethics Resources
Page Updated: November 24, 2020

An extensive listing of links related to forensic science ethics can be found on Reddy's Forensic Page: Ethics, Mistakes & Errors In Forensic Science, Forensic Labs:   http://www.forensicpage.com/new11.htm

CODES AND GUIDELINES

AAFS American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Article II: Code of Ethics and Conduct)
http://www.aafs.org/aafs-bylaws#Art2
ABC American Board of Criminalistics (Rules of Professional Conduct)
http://www.criminalistics.com/ethics.cfm
ABFDE American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (Code of Ethics and Standard Practices)
http://www.abfde.org/htdocs/AboutABFDE/Ethics.pdf
(Code of Conduct for Officers, Directors, Committee Members and Others Acting in an Official Capacity)
http://www.abfde.org/htdocs/AboutABFDE/CodeofConduct.pdf
ABFT American Board of Forensic Toxicology
http://www.abft.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=65
ACSR Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction (Bylaws, Article 8, Code of Ethics)
http://www.acsr.org/code-of-ethics
AFTEAssociation of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (Code of Ethics, Enforcement of the Code of Ethics)
http://www.afte.org/AssociationInfo/a_codeofethics.htm
ANZFSS Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (The Code of Ethics)
http://www.anzfss.org.au/code_of_ethics.htm
ASCLD C American Society of Crime Lab Directors (Code of Ethics)
http://www.ascld.org/files/library/Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf
ASCLD G American Society of Crime Lab Directors (Guidelines for Forensic Laboratory Management Practices)
http://www.ascld.org/files/library/labmgtguide.pdf
ASCLD/LABASCLD/Laboratory Accreditation Board (Guiding Principles of Professional Responsibility for Crime Laboratories and Forensic Scientists)
http://www.ascld-lab.org/about_us/guidingprinciples.html
ASQDE American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (Code of Ethics)
http://www.asqde.org/membership/Bylaws.pdf
CAC California Association of Criminalists (Code of Ethics, Code of Ethics Enforcement)
http://www.cacnews.org/membership/handbook.shtml
CIS Canadian Identification Society
http://www.cis-sci.ca/frame.htm > By-Laws > Rules of Professional Conduct
CSDIAI California State Division of the IAI
http://www.csdiai.net/documents/Constitution%202009.pdf
CSFS Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences (Code of Conduct)
http://www.csfs.ca/eng/membership/code-of-conduct
ENFSI European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (Code of Conduct)
http://www.enfsi.eu/page.php?uid=191
FSReg Office of the Regulator, UK
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police/forensic-science-regulator1/codes-conduct-practice?view=Binary
IAAI International Association of Arson Investigators
http://firearson.com/l_Membership/l_Code-of-Ethics.aspx
NAME National Association of Medical Examiners
http://thename.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=29
FSS-UK Forensic Science Society (United Kingdom) (The Code of Conduct)
http://www.forensic-science-society.org.uk/AboutUs/Constitution
IABPA Int'l Assoc. of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (Article III: Code of Ethics)
http://www.iabpa.org/Bylaws%2010-09-08.pdf
IAIInternational Association for Identification (Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct)
(August 2011 version not yet posted)
MAAFS Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (Code of Ethics) - no link found
(members only)
MAFS Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (Code of Ethics)
http://www.mafs.net/index.php?id=codeofethics
NEAFS Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (Code of Ethics)
http://www.neafs.org/ethics.htm
NJAFS New Jersey Association of Forensic Scientists
http://www.njafs.org/pdf_files/NJAFS_BY_LAWS.pdf
NWAFS Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists (proposed Code of Ethics)
http://www.nwafs.org/Documents/Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf
RMABPA Rocky Mountain Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (membership application, p. 2)
http://www.rmdiai.org/rmabpa/
SAFS Southern Association of Forensic Scientists (Bylaws: Ch. I, Section 5.c; Ch. IV, Section 2.a)
http://www.southernforensic.org/bylaws.asp
SCAFO Southern California Association of Fingerprint Officers
http://www.scafo.org/code_of_ethics/default.html
SMANZFL Senior Managers Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Laboratories
http://www.nifs.com.au/SMANZFL/SMANZFL.html?index.asp&1
SOFT Society of Forensic Toxicologists
http://www.soft-tox.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=118
SWAFDE Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners
Accessible on line only by members
SWAFS Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (Article 13: Code of Professional Conduct)
http://www.swafs.us/pdf/2009/2008bylaws.pdf
SWFS Society for Wildlife Forensic Science
http://www.wildlifeforensicscience.org/content/code-ethics
TIAFT The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists
http://www.tiaft.org/node/46

LAWYERS' RULES OF CONDUCT

ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct:http://www.abanet.org/cpr/mrpc/mrpc_toc.html
CA Rules of Professional Conduct http://www.law.cornell.edu/ethics/ca/code/CA_CODE.HTM

CLASSES

"Ethics in Forensic Science" Carolyn Gannett, California DOJ California Criminalistics Institute
http://ag.ca.gov/cci/courses/course.php?cid=170
"Ethics in Forensic Science"Robin Bowen, West Virginia University on-line semester class
http://elearn.wvu.edu/continuing/Forensic_Science/Ethics.html
"To Hell and Back: The Ethics of Stewardship and the Stewardship of Ethics"
and "Answering the NAS: The Ethics of Leadership and the Leadership of Ethics,"
Paul Voss, RTI Forensic Science Education, short (60-90 minutes) on-line courses
https://www.forensiced.org/alltraining.htm

WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS


BOOKS

"Ethics for the Public Service Professional," Dutelle, CRC Press
"Ethics in Forensic Science," Downs and Swienton, ed., Waltham, MA, Academic, 2012
"Ethics in Forensic Science, Professional Standards for the Practice of Criminalistics," Pete Barnett, CRC Press, 2001
"Ethics and the Practice of Forensic Science," Robin Bowen, CRC Press, 2010
"Scientific and Legal Applications of Bloodstain Pattern Interpretation," Stuart James, ed., CRC Press, 1999
Chapter 6: "Legal and Ethical Aspects of Bloodstain Pattern Evidence," Carol Henderson
"Handbook of Frauds, Scams, and Swindles: Failures of Ethics in Leadership" Matulich S, Currie DM, CRC Press, 2008

OTHER

The Institute for Criminal Justice Ethics - Forensic Science Ethics: http://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/cje/html/forensicscience.html

FRAUDS

Corpus-Delicti Fraudshttp://www.corpus-delicti.com/forensic_fraud.html
Truth in Justicehttp://truthinjustice.org/junk.htm

SHOWS

Dateline's "In the Dead of Night" on David Kofoedhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39468138#39464966
60 Minutes on FBI's bullet lead technique, "Evidence of Injustice," Sept. 15, 2008http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/16/60minutes/main3512453.shtml
20/20, Episode 18, "Fire Scientist Questions Arson Finding" http://abc.go.com/watch/2020/SH559026/VD5553367/fire-scientist-questions-arson-finding

LAWYER SEARCH

Martindale Hubbell Ratings, Martindale.comhttp://www.martindale.com/Find-Lawyers-and-Law-Firms.aspx
State Bar of California Lawyer Searchhttp://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member.aspx

RESPONSE TO THE NAS REPORT

Subcommittee on Forensic Sciencehttp://www.forensicscience.gov/
Proposed legislation by Sen. Leahy, 12/20/10http://www.clpex.com/Information/LeahyBill_12-22-10.pdf

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT

California Whistleblower Protection Act, (800) 952-5665: http://www.bsa.ca.gov/hotline

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