Quality Assurance in Forensic Biology Inspection: A Validation Study

Authors: Giappichini G, Lucanto C, Bottigliero MV, Maccari M, Montagna P and D’Orio E*

DOI: 10.23880/ijfsc-16000250

Volume 7, Issue 1

Abstract

Forensic biology inspection is a specialized activity which aims to investigate biological evidence present on items found on a crime scene. This type of inspection has its application-time before genetic analysis and deals with processing input-elements such as the items in output-elements such as biological samples obtained from the detected evidence. The inspection takes place using the most modern technologies and innovative validated procedures that allow the identification of latent evidence. Quality assurance, an essential element of Forensic Science, is the maintenance of a specific level of quality within a working procedure. It includes all those planned and systematic actions designed to ensure that the procedure is free of discrepancies. The generation, documentation, and transmission of data allows the procedure to be performed correctly. Quality assurance and quality control checks together constitute the key quality systems. Therefore, it is necessary for biological inspection to satisfy quality standards to ensure accuracy, reproducibility, and repeatability of results; these features are only possible through the presence of reference procedures. This means that the development of protocols and validated procedures are essential to ensure and preserve scientific value. The aim of this research project is to show that the standardization of the technical procedure is essential to guarantee the maintenance of high-quality standards. The data obtained shown an enhancement of the detection efficiency of latent biological evidence and a minimization, as far as possible, of the variability between forensic operators during the forensic biology inspection analysis.

Keywords: Standardization; Quality Assurance; ISO 17025; Forensic Biology; Validation; Forensic Biology Inspection

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