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Laboratory Management

Laboratory Management. IOCE Meeting May, 2002 Orlando, Florida USA. Customer Identification Investigator - Examiner Organization & Service Delivery Models Outsourcing Facility Design Equipment Modules Examination Tools Training Personnel, Selection & Burnout/Stress.

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Laboratory Management

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  1. Laboratory Management IOCE Meeting May, 2002 Orlando, Florida USA

  2. Customer Identification Investigator - Examiner Organization & Service Delivery Models Outsourcing Facility Design Equipment Modules Examination Tools Training Personnel, Selection & Burnout/Stress Performance Measures Quality Assurance, Performance Testing & Validation Evidence Handling Archive & Data Retention Policy Health & Safety Procurement Philosophy & Strategy Executive Level Support Discussion Topics

  3. Customer Identification • Investigators Are Primary Customers • Customer Base May Include Prosecutors, Courts, Other Law Enforcement • Priority Case Support System Helps Manage Customer Support Decisions

  4. Investigator - ExaminerExaminer - Investigator • Examiner’s Role Should Be Separate and Distinct from Investigator’s Role • QA Standards Apply to Anyone Performing Forensic Examinations • Recognize Need for Investigative Instincts and Computer Expertise

  5. Organization, Service Delivery Models • Service Model Should Reflect Operational Economies, Staffing Levels, and Workload Requirements • Decentralized, Distributed and Centralized Laboratory Structures Are In Use And Are All Successful • Decentralized Requires Strong Program Management • Distributed Works Best for Large Service Areas or Large Examiner Staffing • Centralized Has Good Synergism for Small to Medium Staffing Levels

  6. Outsourcing • Two Forms: • On-Site (at the Lab) Examiners • Off-Site Processing • Provides Scarce Technical Expertise • Provides Supplemental Manpower • Issues: • Best Practices • Evidence Handling • Quality Control

  7. Facility Design • Maintain a Long Term Vision • Formulate a Business Plan • Key Management Issues: • Security / Access Control • Employee Health & Safety • Examination Work Area Space • Lighting • AC Power & UPS Power

  8. Equipment Modules • Two Forms: • Individual Examiner • Laboratory or Laboratory Group • Simplifies Laboratory Scalability • Promotes Software & Hardware Standardization • Effective Budget Technique

  9. Examination Tools • Management Must Control Tools Used in the Laboratory • Concern for Validity • Concern for Legality (License Restrictions) • Concern for Standardization in the Laboratory

  10. Training • Link to Laboratory Accreditation and Individual Examiner Certification • Advanced Curriculums Poorly Defined • Insufficient Advanced Training Sources/Providers • Support Using Academia, Distance Learning, & Private Industry

  11. Personnel Selection,and Examiner Burnout/Stress • Key Recruitment Qualities • Investigator Attitude • Interest in Computer Technology • IT Education/Training/Work Experience • Need for Skill Demonstration in the Hiring Process • Management Must Stay Alert for: • Examiner Burnout • Stress from Backlogs • Child Pornography Examiner Dysfunctionalism

  12. Performance Measures • Use Both Qualitative and Quantitative Measures: • Triage (Estimate Complexity) & Assess Required Time • Compare Examiner Output Annually Against Mean Performance • Develop Detailed Work Plans & Milestones • Recommend Laboratory Management Information System • Evaluation Techniques: • Hard Drives Examined, Cases Completed, Gigabytes of Data Searched

  13. Quality Assurance, Performance Testing, and Validation • Need Quality Assurance Manager • Proficiency Testing Essential to Quality Assurance • Internal Annual Examiner Tests • External Testing • Peer Review • Tools (Hardware & Software) & Techniques Must Be Validated

  14. Evidence Handling • Leaving Evidence in Laboratory For Select Processing Functions Is Acceptable As Long As The Facility Meets Agency Evidence Storage Standards • Evidence Inventory Systems Are Desirable to Track Location, Status, Receipt and Release

  15. Archive & Data Retention • Original Evidence Usually Returned to Submitting Office • Duplicates May Be Retained • Con: Overhead Is Substantial … Space & Accountability • Pro: Simplifies Discovery Copies and Re-Analysis Requests • Local Jurisdiction Rules Govern Retention & Destruction Policies

  16. Health & Safety • Concern for Biologic and Chemical Contamination • Recognize Need for Ergonomic Work Area Design and Equipment • Safety Concerns for Examiners Working Alone

  17. Procurement Philosophy & Strategy • Use Life Cycle Procurement Strategy: • 3 Years for Hardware • 1 Year for Software • Compatibility to Maintain Validation Can Justify Sole Source Procurements • Procurement Authority Should Be Within the Laboratory (Not IT Departments Because of Operational/Technical Issues)

  18. Executive Level Support • Keep Dialogue Open and Positive • Develop Business Plan, Sell It, and Operate on Budget & Schedule • Use Service Charge Back System to Fund Unusual Equipment/Software Costs • Advertise Successes • Keep It Simple (Graphs, Pictures) • Use Analogies to Justify Budget Requests • IOCE, ENFSI, ASCLD said …

  19. Laboratory Management • Questions ? • Comments ? • Suggestions ? • Other Concerns ?

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