title: The Second National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC-2).
abstract: In response to the guidelines issued by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB-International) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, NIST and the ATF initiated a joint project, entitled the National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC). The NBIC project aims to establish a national traceability and quality system for ballistics identifications in crime laboratories utilizing ATF's National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). The original NBIC was completed in 2010. In the second NBIC, NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2461 Cartridge Cases were used as reference standards, and 14 experts from 11 U.S. crime laboratories each performed 17 image acquisitions and correlations of the SRM cartridge cases over the course of about half a year. Resulting correlation scores were collected by NIST for statistical analyses, from which control charts and control limits were developed for the proposed quality system and for promoting future assessments and accreditations for firearm evidence in U.S. forensic laboratories in accordance with the ISO 17025 Standard.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Vorburger
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Renegar
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Ammendale, MD 20705.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ols
keywords: NBIC; NIBIN; ballistics identification; forensic science; standard bullet; standard cartridge case; standard reference material