Acronyms and Abbreviations used by Forensic Science Services

  Acronym Description
 
  AAFS American Academy of Forensic Sciences
 
  ABC American Board of Criminalistics
A certification body for forensic sciences
 
  AFIS Automated Fingerprint Identification System
 
  AFTE Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners
 
  ALS Alternate Light Source
A stain locating device
 
  AM Tox Ante-mortem toxicology
A FSS toxicology program for 11550 related offenses
 
  ASCLD
ASCLD/LAB
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors / Laboratory Accreditation Board
 
  ASTM American Society of Testing and Materials
 
  ATF Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
 
  BA Blood Alcohol
 
  BAC Blood Alcohol Concentration
The weight/volume % of alcohol in blood. 0.08% is the legal limit in California
 
  BAIN Blood Alcohol Identification Number
Also known as the vial number.
 
  BE Benzoylecgonine
A cocaine metabolite
 
  BNE Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement
 
  CAC California Association of Criminalists
 
  Cal-ID California Identification
State-wide automated fingerprint identification program
 
  CACLD California Association of Crime Lab Directors
 
  CAT California Association of Toxicologists
 
  CCI California Criminalistics Institute
 
  CLUE County-wide Law enforcement on Unsolved Elements
Sheriff Department task force on old cases
 
  COC Central Orange (County) Court
 
  CODIS Combined DNA Index System
A national database of DNA profiles coordinated by the FBI
 
  CS Controlled Substances
A FSS program for the analysis of controlled substances, usually 11377 and 11378 charges
 
  CSDIAI California State Division - International Association of Identification
 
  CSI Crime Scene Investigation
 
  CVC California Vehicle Code
 
  DDA Deputy District Attorney
 
  DEA Drug Enforcement Agency
 
  DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid
 
  DOJ Department of Justice
 
  DPD Deputy Public Defender
 
  DR Department Report number
 
  DUI Driving Under Influence
 
  ECB Emergency Communication Bureau
 
  ECU Evidence Control Unit
An FSS program responsible for the receipt and disposition of evidence in FSS
 
  ELISA Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay
A toxicology method for the screening of drugs in blood
 
  F/A Firearms
 
  FET Field Evidence Technician
 
  FIRS Forensic Information Retrieval System
The automated e-mail and web system provided by FSS to supply electronic reports on Ante-mortem Toxicology, Controlled Substances and Forensic Alcohol cases.
 
  FR Forensic Report number
The primary number used by FSS for each case
 
  FS Forensic Specialist or Forensic Scientist
 
  FSC Forensic Science Center
 
  FSRTC Forensic Science Research and Training Center
 
  FSS Forensic Science Services
 
  FST Field Sobriety Test
 
  FTIR Fourier Transform Infrared
A scientific, instrumental technique for the identification of drugs, chemicals, fibers, etc.
 
  GC Gas Chromatography
A scientific, instrumental technique for the separation of chemical compounds
 
  GCMS, GC/MS Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
A scientific, instrumental technique for the separation and identification of drugs and chemicals
 
  GHB Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate
 
  GSR Gunshot Residue
 
  HOC Harbor Orange (County) Court
 
  IA Immunoassay
An FSS method used by FSS Toxicology to screen for drugs in 11550 samples
 
  IAIAFS International Association of Forensic Sciences
 
  IAI International Association of Identification
 
  ICD In-Custody Death
 
  ICE In-Coming Evidence
 
  ID Identification
 
  IR Infrared
 
  IRC Intake Release Center
 
  IWBA International Wound Ballistics Association
 
  LC Liquid Chromatography
 
  LCMS, LC/MS Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
 
  LIMS Laboratory Information Management System
The computerized data system used by FSS to manage all case and scientific information
 
  LMG Leuco-malachite green
A blood detection method/reagent
 
  MSDS Material Safety Data Sheet
 
  NIBIN National Integrated Ballistics Information Network
 
  NFSTC National Forensic Science Technology Center
 
  NIJ National Institute of Justice
 
  NOC North Orange (County) Court
 
  OCSD Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department
 
  OD Overdose
 
  OIS Officer Involved Shooting
 
  OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
 
  PAS Preliminary Alcohol Screening
A breath alcohol screening device
 
  PCR Polymerase chain reaction
A scientific method used by the DNA section
 
  PD Public Defender; Police department
 
  PLM Polarized Light Microscopy
 
  PM Tox Post Mortem Toxicology
A FSS toxicology program for identifying drugs and toxins in post-mortem blood and tissue
 
  POST Peace Officer Standards and Training
 
  PRC Proficiency Review Committee
 
  QA Quality Assurance
 
  QC Quality Control
 
  QD Questioned Documents
Questioned Death
 
  RFLP Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism
 
  RNSP Regional Narcotics Suppression Program
 
  SABRE Sexual Assault Backlog Reduction Effort
 
  SCAFO Southern California Association of Fingerprint Officers
 
  SEM Scanning Electron Microscope
 
  SOC South Orange (County) Court
 
  STR Short Tandem Repeat
 
  SWG Scientific Working Group
A prefix for various national peer forensic groups
 
  SWGDAM Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods
 
  SWGDE Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence
 
  SWGDOC Scientific Working Group on Documents
 
  SWGDRUG Scientific Working Group on Drugs
 
  SWGFAST Scientific Working Group on Friction ridge Analysis, Standards and Training
 
  SWGGUN Scientific Working Group on Guns i.e. firearms and toolmarks
 
  SWGIT Scientific Working Group on Imaging Technology
 
  SWGMAT Scientific Working Group on Materials i.e. trace evidence
 
  TC Traffic Collision
 
  T/LI Ten-print Latent Inquiry
 
  TRacKRS Task force Review aimed at catching Killers, Rapists and Sexual offenders
 
  TWG Technical Working Group
A prefix for various national peer forensic groups
 
  TWGFEX Technical Working Group on Fire and Explosive analysis
 
  UV Ultra Violet
 
  WOC West Orange (County) Court