The Scientific Working Group on Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (SWGSTAIN) was created in March 2002 at a meeting held by the

FBI Laboratory The FBI Laboratory (also called the Laboratory Division) is a division within the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation that provides forensic analysis support services to the FBI, as well as to state and local Law enforcement agency, l ...

at the

FBI Academy The FBI Academy is the Federal Bureau of Investigation's law enforcement training and research center near the town of Quantico in Prince William County, Virginia. The academy occupies 547 acres (221 ha) on the US Marine Corps Base Quantico. It ...

Quantico, Virginia Quantico (; formerly Potomac) is a town in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 578 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., bound ...

. It was decided that there was enough interest in

bloodstain pattern analysis Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is a forensic discipline focused on analyzing Blood residue, bloodstains left at known, or suspected crime scenes through visual pattern recognition and physics-based assessments. This is done with the purpose of ...

(BPA) to warrant the creation of the

Scientific Working Group Since the early 1990s, American and International forensic science laboratories and practitioners have collaborated in Scientific Working Groups (SWGs) to improve discipline practices and build consensus standards. In 2014, the SWGs are bein ...

(SWG). According to the guidelines for organizing a SWG, the Scientific Working Group on Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (SWGSTAIN) generated and ratified a set of bylaws in accordance to the Scientific Working Groups published in ''Forensic Science Communications'' (July 2002). SWGSTAIN has nationally and internationally recognized bloodstain pattern analysts, several of whom are members of the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA). The experts come from various areas including law enforcement, federal, state and local laboratories, the private sector, and academia. They also come from various countries including United States, Canada, England, and the Netherlands. In 2004, the various sub-committees were discussing and drafting proposals in the following areas: :* Terminology :* Quality Assurance :* Legal :* Ethics :* Education and Training SWGSTAIN meets twice a year at the FBI Academy in Quantico. They have an American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) representative.

Mission statement

:''To Promote and enhance the development of quality forensic bloodstain pattern (BSP) practices through the collaborative efforts of government forensic laboratories, law enforcement, private industry, and academia.''

Objectives

# To discuss, share and compare stain pattern analysis methods, protocols, and research for the enhancement of forensic bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) techniques, and # To design and encourage the implementation by practitioners of a quality assurance program in

and to advise the forensic bloodstain pattern analysis community of emerging quality assurance issues, and # To discuss and share strategies for presenting bloodstain pattern information to meet Frye,

Daubert In United States federal law, the ''Daubert'' standard ( ) is a rule of evidence regarding the admissibility of expert witness testimony. A party may raise a ''Daubert'' motion, a special motion ''in limine'' raised before or during trial, to exc ...

, or other jurisdictional admissibility challenges, and # To address the development and/or validation of forensic bloodstain pattern analysis methods, and # To design and encourage the adoption of guidelines to ensure the quality of specialized training in the field of

Executive board

The SWGSTAIN Executive Board consists of eight members: :* Chair :* Vice-Chair (must be a non-FBI SWGSTAIN member, appointed by the Chair) :* Executive Secretary (appointed by the Chair, no voting privileges) :* Five Regular Members

References

Sources

:*Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Forensic Science Communications (July 2002). ''Bylaws of the Scientific Working Group on Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (SWGSTAIN)''. Retrieved 11 October 2005 from: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july2002/swgstain.htm

External links

FBI Laboratory

IABPA
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scientific Working Group - Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Forensics organizations Government agencies established in 2002 Federal Bureau of Investigation 2002 establishments in Virginia