SWGMAT
Definition
Scientific Working Group for Materials Analysis, a US forensic science standards body (now succeeded by the OSAC Explosives Subcommittee). Published the Forensic Examination of Explosives standard that governs analytical workflow priority in US accredited explosives laboratories.
- Organization type
- US forensic science standards body
- Key areas covered
- Explosives analysis, paint examination, tool-mark comparison
- Current status
- Standards transitioned to OSAC (Organization of Scientific Area Committees)
Common questions
What is SWGMAT and what does it do?+
SWGMAT stands for Scientific Working Group for Materials Analysis. It is a US-based forensic science standards body that developed guidelines for analyzing explosives, paint, and tool marks. Its work has been transitioned to OSAC (Organization of Scientific Area Committees) standards.
What standards did SWGMAT publish?+
SWGMAT published the Forensic Examination of Explosives standard, the Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison Guidelines, and tool-mark examination guidelines. These standards set out how US forensic laboratories conduct analytical work for these material types.
Is SWGMAT still active?+
SWGMAT has been succeeded by OSAC committees. Its published standards have been transitioned to OSAC, which now maintains and updates forensic science standards in the United States.
Related terms
- ENFSI EPG
- Expert Working Group on Paint (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes); produced the European paint-examination protocol and promoted EUCAP development.
- Likelihood Ratio (LR)
- The ratio of two conditional probabilities: the probability of the observed evidence given the prosecution's hypothesis (same source), divided by the probability...
- ACS (Algorithmic Comparison Score)
- Extension of CMC that converts the raw cell-count score into a likelihood ratio using calibrated probability distributions from known match and non-match...
- Alkyd Resin
- A polyester binder modified with fatty-acid chains from drying oils; cures by oxidative crosslinking and is characterised by FTIR ester carbonyl absorption...
- Basecoat
- The colour-bearing layer in automotive OEM paint; thin (10-30 µm), thermoplastic acrylic binder, contains colour and effect pigments.
- Binder
- The polymer matrix that holds pigments in place and bonds the paint to the substrate. Identifies paint type (alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, epoxy)...
- BKA (Bundeskriminalamt)
- German Federal Criminal Police Office; custodian of EUCAP and primary German forensic laboratory for automotive paint comparison.
- Blind Verification
- The procedure in which a second fingerprint examiner independently performs the Analysis and Comparison stages without knowledge of the first examiner's conclusion....
- BNS 2023 § 106
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 provision criminalising causing death by negligence; the primary charging provision for fatal hit-and-run cases in India, with enhanced...
- Clearcoat
- The transparent outermost layer of automotive OEM paint; thermoset acrylic-melamine, 40-60 µm, provides UV resistance and gloss.
- CMC (Congruent Matching Cells)
- NIST algorithm that divides two 3D surface topography maps into cell grids and counts cells meeting quantitative topographic-correlation, slope-agreement, and height-offset criteria;...
- Comparison Microscope
- Two compound microscope bodies connected by an optical bridge that presents one half of each body's image in a single split eyepiece...
Explained in these topics
- Laboratory Explosives Analysis: LC-MS, GC-MS, IC, XRF and SEM-EDXScientific Working Group for Materials Analysis, a US forensic science standards body (now succeeded by the OSAC Explosives Subcommittee). Published the Forens...
- Paint Composition, Types and Binder ChemistryScientific Working Group for Materials Analysis; US body that published the Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison Guidelines, now transitioned to OSAC standar...
- Paint Databases (PDQ, EUCAP) and Comparison CaseworkScientific Working Group for Materials Analysis; produced the Forensic Paint Analysis and Comparison Guidelines, the US standard for automotive paint examinati...
- Tool-Mark Comparison Microscopy and 3D ImagingScientific Working Group for Materials Analysis; a US forensic-science working group that published tool-mark examination guidelines, superseded by OSAC commit...