This page features resources for defense attorneys regarding forensics, including discovery of forensic evidence, finding experts, training, and understanding various forensic disciplines. Our publications, News Picks from NYSDA Staff and the Public Defense Backup Center REPORT, are two sources of information about forensics.

Discovery

Criminal Procedure Law article 245 includes a variety of provisions regarding forensics and related types of evidence. A few key provisions are:

• CPL 245.20(1)(f): expert opinion evidence 
• CPL 245.20(1)(j): physical or mental examinations and scientific testing
• CPL 245.20(1)(k)(iv): law enforcement disciplinary records for impeachment
• CPL 245.20(1)(s): VTL-related testing records
• CPL 245.20(1)(u): Electronically created or stored information

For more information on the discovery laws, visit our Discovery Reform webpage.

Finding & Paying for Experts

Defenders who are looking for a forensics expert, please contact the Discovery & Forensic Support Unit: forensics@nysda.org

Many defender offices and assigned counsel programs have funds set aside for expert witness costs. For offices and programs that do not have such funding available, you should file an ex parte County Law 722-c motion with the court for expert witness funds. NYSDA has these guides:

• How to Get Funding for Experts, Investigators & Auxiliary Services (NYSDA - text only)
• How to Get Funding for Experts, Investigators & Auxiliary Services (NYSDA - graphic guide)

NYS Professional Accreditation

• NYS Department of Education, Office of the Professions, Licensee Verification
• NYS Department of Health, Physician Search 

Publications of Interest

• Artificial Intelligence Starter Guide (NYSDA)
• Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: Third Edition (National Resource Council 2011)
• Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward [also known as "The NAS Report"] (Committee on Identifying the Needs of the Forensic Sciences Community, National Research Council 2009)  
• Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature-Comparison Methods (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology [PCAST] 2016)
• Addendum to the PCAST Forensic Science in Criminal Courts report (PCAST 2017)
• PCAST Webcast on the Addendum to the PCAST report
• Handbook of Forensic Services (FBI 2019)- "The Handbook of Forensic Services provides guidance and procedures for safe and efficient methods of collecting, preserving, packaging, and shipping evidence and describes the forensic examinations performed by the FBI’s Laboratory Division."
• Communicating Forensic Science (N.J. Schweitzer 2016)
  

Standards and Lab Accreditation

National

• National Institute of Standards and Technology, Forensic Science Program 
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI), National Accreditation Board (ANAB), Forensic Accreditation
• American Board of Forensic Toxicology, Laboratory Accreditation
• Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quality Assurance Standards: Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories and Quality Assurance Standards for DNA Databasing Laboratories

New York State

• Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Forensic Services
• Commission on Forensic Science, Forensic Lab Accreditation
• Commission on Forensic Science, New York State Forensic Laboratory Report Standardization Manual
• Videos of Open Meetings, Commission on Forensic Science and the DNA Subcommittee

Forensics Disciplines

DNA

• DNA Mixture Interpretation, NIST Scientific Foundation Review (National Institute of Standards and Technology, December 2024) *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• History of DNA Mixture Interpretation: Supplemental Document to DNA Mixture Interpretation: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review (December 2024) *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• Supplemental Document to DNA Mixture Interpretation: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review. Summarized Information from Publicly Accessible Validation Studies, Proficiency Test Results, and Interlaboratory Comparison Data (December 2024) *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• Biological Evidence, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 128-133
• Reference Guide on DNA Identification Evidence (Chapter from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: Third Edition)
• DNA - Published Documents (American Academy of Forensic Sciences [AAFS] Standards Board)
  
• DNA Mixtures: A Forensic Science Explainer (National Institute of Standards and Technology April 3, 2019) *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• Evolutions of DNA Forensics (LLRX article by Ken Strutin, NYSDA 2016)
  
• Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM)
• Criminal Justice Standards: DNA Evidence (American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section 2007)

Toxicology, Drug Analysis & Breath Tests

• Analysis of Controlled Substances, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 133-136
• Toxicology - Published Documents (American Academy of Forensic Sciences [AAFS] Standards Board)
• Open-access Drug Early Warning System: Novel Psychoactive Substances Discovery (Center for Forensic Science Research and Education)
• New York State Police Toxicology Instrument Records
• New York State Police Breath Test Instrument Certification Documents 

Firearms and Weapons

• Toolmarks and Firearms Identification, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 150-155
• Firearms and Toolmarks - Published Documents (American Academy of Forensic Sciences [AAFS] Standards Board)
  

Fingerprints

• Friction Ridge Analysis, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 136-145
• Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 10, pp. 269-278
  
• Latent Print AFIS Interoperability Working Group (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
• Forensic Science Assessments: A Quality and Gap Analysis- Latent Fingerprint Examination (American Association for the Advancement of Science 2017)
• NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, State Identification Bureau

Arson

• Analysis of Explosives Evidence and Fire Debris, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 170-173
• A Model for Confronting Fire Investigation Errors (John J. Lentini, Lincoln Memorial University Law Review Fall 2020)
• Forensic Science Assessments: A Quality and Gap Analysis- Fire Investigation (American Association for the Advancement of Science 2017)
  

Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma

• Defending Shaken Baby Syndrome / Abusive Head Trauma Cases- presentation slides (Katherine H. Judson, University of Wisconsin Law School)
• On Shaken Baby blog
• Defense attorneys who are handling SBS/AHT cases should contact Katherine (Kate) Judson at the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences (kate@cifsjustice.org) to join the SBS listserv and access an extensive database of resources.

Forensic/Sexual Assault Exams

• New York Sexual Offense Evidence Kit Model Policy (NYS Municipal Police Training Council June 2019)
• National Training Standards for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiners (US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women 2018)
• National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Examinations - Adults and Adolescents 2nd Edition (US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women 2013)
• National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Examinations - Pediatric (US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women 2016)
• Forensic Nursing Education Guidelines (International Association of Forensic Nurses)

Digital Evidence

• Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence - Documents - A collection of standardization documents for digital forensics.
• Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence - Glossary - SWGDE's glossary of digital forensics terminology.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology - Digital Evidence - Resources for understanding digital evidence. *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• National Institute of Standards and Technology - Digital Evidence Subcommittee - NIST's focus group on digital evidence. *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• National Institute of Standards and Technology - Computer Forensics Tool Testing Program - NIST's program for assessing forensic tools. *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• National Institute of Standards and Technology - Computer Forensics Tools & Techniques Catalog - Database of forensic tools and techniques. *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
  
• National Institute of Standards and Technology - Review of Digital Investigation Techniques - Assessment of digital investigation methods. *Please note: These resources are hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to federal appropriations and updating schedules, some content may not be regularly updated. Each linked site is the result of a dynamic search for the specified topic, so available materials may change over time.*
• National Institute of Justice - Digital Evidence and Forensics - Resources for understanding digital evidence and forensics.
• National Institute of Justice - Digital Evidence: Policies and Procedures Manual - Guidelines for handling digital evidence.
• DME Resources - Free Digital Media Evidence and Video Analysis Tools - Collection of free tools for digital evidence analysis.
• Decrypting a Defense Newsletter - Newsletter on digital forensics and defense-related topics.
• National Litigation Support Blog - Blog on topics related to litigation technology support.
• Forensic Focus - Digital forensics news, education, reviews and forums.

Eyewitness Identification

• Reference Guide on Forensic Identification Expertise (Chapter from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: Third Edition)
• Identifying the Culprit: Assessing Eyewitness Identification (National Research Council 2014)
• New York Identification Procedures: Photo Arrays and Line-ups (Municipal Police Training Council Model Policy) and Identification Procedures Protocol and Forms (NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, Municipal Police Training Council, June 2017)

Pathology & Medical Examiners and Coroners

• Front Matter | Strengthening the U.S. Medicolegal Death Investigation System: Lessons from Deaths in Custody | The National Academies Press
• Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator, Technical Update (National institute for Justice 2011)
  
• New York State Association of County Coroners and Medical Examiners
• Medical Examiners and Coroner Systems: Current and Future Needs, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), Chapter 9

Pattern Analysis

• Other Pattern/Impression Evidence: Shoeprints and Tire Tracks, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 145-150
• Footwear and Tire - Published Documents (American Academy of Forensic Sciences [AAFS] Standards Board)

Bloodstain and Blood Spatter Evidence

• Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 177-179
  

Handwriting Analysis

• Questioned Document Examination, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 163-167
• Forensic Handwriting Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice Through a Systems Approach (Expert Working Group for Human Factors in Handwriting Examination, National Institutes of Standards and Technology, May 2021)
• Forensic Document Examiner Calls Reliability of Methods Into Question (SSRN 2017) 
• Forensic Document Examination - Published Documents (American Academy of Forensic Sciences [AAFS] Standards Board)

Bite Marks

• Forensic Bitemark Analysis Not Supported by Sufficient Data, NIST Draft Review Finds (NIST, 2022)
• Forensic Odontology, from Strengthening Forensic Science (NAS Report), chapter 5, pp. 173-176
• Forensics and Law in Focus @CSIDDS, Blog posts on Bite Marks

Other Resources and Training

• National Association for Public Defense (NAPD)- offers a wide variety of training programs on forensics topics
• Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE)- publications, training videos, and events
• Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences- publications, podcasts, and events
  
• A Simplified Guide to Forensic Science, National Forensic Science Technology Center (2013)
• National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Conferences and Events 
• An Update on Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Decade of Development (American Association for the Advancement of Science November 2019)- program videos
• Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Law and Brain Behavior NeuroLaw Library (CLBB)- free, open access repository for those involved in the juvenile and adult criminal justice system in need of accurate and applicable neuroscience resources.

Public Defense Websites of Interest

• Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services, Professional Forensic & Expert Resources
• North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services, Forensic Resources
• Orange County (FL) Public Defender & National Center for Forensic Science, Florida Forensic Science