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MAJOR CHANGES TO THE IAI RECERTIFICATION
PROGRAMS
by:
Debbie Benningfield
For those of who hold any IAI Certifications, please
note that there have been major changes to how you qualify for
recertification. These
changes are the result of the IAI pursuing accreditation under the
Forensic Science Accreditation Board. The IAI Board of Directors
approved these changes in January of this year and informed the
Certification Boards, at the annual IAI Educational Conference in
San
Diego last month, that they must begin using
the new requirements immediately.
The new recertification procedures have been changed
from training hours to training credits. These credits can be
accrued in various ways such as attending forensic conferences,
teaching, publishing articles in peer reviewed journals, holding
office, etc. (see below chart). You may not use one
particular category to obtain all of your needed credits. My recommendation to all
certified examiners is that you create a file folder and any time
you perform one of the approved credits that you keep a copy showing
proof of that particular credit.
If you are coming up for recertification in the near
future, you will be required to certify under the new requirements.
It is very important that you review your particular situation to
determine whether you have accrued the number of necessary
credits. Keep in mind,
you may only claim credits within the five year period leading up to
your recertification date.
Both the IAI Latent Print and Crime Certification Boards have
decided to allow you to recertify using either the old or new
recertification application until December 31st. Both applications can
be found on the IAI website www.theiai.org and then select the “Certification” link. It is also very important to
notify the Secretary of your particular certification program of any
new contact information so that your recertification application is
not delayed.
If you serve on one of the local Division
Certification Committees, it will be your responsibility to review
and recommend to the Certification Boards whether the applicant has
met the recertification requirements. Therefore, please take time
to review the new requirements. I recommend that you contact
the Secretary of the certification board and obtain a copy of the
new recertification procedures outlined in the IAI Quality Assurance
Manual.
In addition to the above changes, the IAI Crime Scene
Certification program has approved the following changes. Please note the below
bulleted changes only apply to the Crime Scene Certification
Program:
·
The IAI Crime Scene
Certification Board has delayed renewal testing until January 1,
2008. Any crime scene
certified individual who is scheduled for renewal between January
1st and December 31, 2008 may apply for renewal early and
pass up the test.
·
For those
applications sent in early, the certification renewal date will then
start upon the date of the approved application received by the IAI
office, not the date that the original certification would have
expired.
·
All recertification
testing material will be taken from, “Practical Crime Scene
Processing and Investigation”, by Ross M. Gardner, (2004 Edition
all chapters).
Should you have any questions, please direct them to
the individual IAI Certification Board Secretaries.
RECERTIFICATION CREDIT CHART FOR
ALL IAI CERTIFIED EXAMINERS
Recertification credits may be earned during the 5
year period by accumulating credits for various activities, which
are described as follows:
•
Registered attendance at the IAI
Annual Conference or regional conference or other forensic
meetings
recognized by the Certification Board. 2 credits per half day (4
hours) with a maximum of 75% of
credits.
•
Presentation of a
paper – 5
credits for each different paper. maximum of 50% of
credits.
•
Participation in a panel
discussion/plenary discussion/poster presentation - 5 credits for each,
maximum of 50% of credits.
•
Conduct a training workshop or
seminar for forensic examiners within the forensic
disciplines - 5
credits for each half-day presentation - maximum of 50% of the
credits needed for recertification.
•
Conduct a training workshop for
non-examiners -
3 credits for each half-day presentation with a maximum of 25% of
the credits needed for recertification.
•
Articles published in board
recognized forensic journals up to 10 credits per article -
maximum of 25% of the credits needed for
recertification.
•
Attendance at, or participation
in, a course or workshop or in-service training recognized by the individual
Certification Board at two credits per half day (4 hours) maximum of 75% of
the credits needed for recertification.
•
Holding an office or serving on a
committee in a forensic society recognized by the Certification
Board or performing an official service for a forensic journal
publication - 5
credits earned for each year served - maximum of 25% of the credits
needed for recertification.
•
Acting as the primary provider of
on-the-job training for novice forensic examiners - 5 credits for each year in
which training is provided - maximum of 25% of the credits needed
for recertification.
•
Providing a written summary
(minimum of 250 words) of an article written by another forensic
examiner or related professional and published within the last 5
years - 2 credits per article allowed - with a maximum of 40% of the
credits needed for recertification.
•
Any
other activity that an applicant for recertification feels that the
specific Certification Board should consider, such as teaching forensic
related college courses, research and presentations to the general
public, etc. with a maximum of 30% of the credits needed for
recertification.
•
Full-time forensic casework, i.e.
more than 50% of job duties conducting forensic science
examinations –
maximum of 4 credits per year.
BREAKDOWN OF
CURRENT RECERTIFICATIONTRAINING CREDITS NEEDED BY THE INDIVIDUAL
CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS:
BLOODSTAIN PATTERN ANAYLSIS = 50
Credits
CRIME SCENE = 80 Credits
FOOTWEAR = 50 Credits
FORENSIC ART = 50 Credits
LATENT PRINTS = 80 Credits
PHOTOGRAPHY = 80 Credits
TENPRINT = 80 Credits
The Texas Division of
the I.A.I. Website makes every effort to insure accuracy of all
information contained on these pages. However, it is the
viewers responsibility to confirm with the sponsoring agency's
representative the accuracy and validity of any information
contained on the Website's pages.
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