Association of Law Enforcement Forensic Artists

Code of Ethics
January 8, 2015
The following rules and Code of Ethics are incorporated into the By-Laws of the
Association of Law Enforcement Forensic Artists:
Members shall conduct themselves in a manner to reflect credit upon this profession. To
that end each member shall pledge himself/herself to conform to the Code of Ethics of
the Association of Law Enforcement Forensic Artists.
Aims and Ideas
The Association of Law Enforcement Forensic Artists (ALEFA) has for its purpose the
promotion of justice through the discovery and proof of the facts relating to forensic art,
and to maintain and advance the technical and ethical standards of the profession of
forensic art.
Application
In furtherance of these aims and ideals each member of this organization pledges
himself/herself to abide by the following rules of conduct:
1.1

To remain unbiased, and objective, approaching all assignments with due

diligence and an open mind.

1.2

To keep informed on all new developments and processes in forensic art by

constant study and research, with a full realization that accuracy is possible only
through competence.

1.3

To conduct full and fair examinations in which conclusions and opinions are
based on the evidence and reference material relevant to the evidence, not on
extraneous information, political pressure, or other outside influences.

1.4

To remain aware of his/her limitations and only renders conclusions and/or

opinions that are within his/her area of expertise and about matters for which
he/she has given careful consideration. To admit frankly that certain requests
cannot be fulfilled because of the nature of the problem, the lack of material, or
insufficient opportunity for evaluation or execution.

1.5

To act at all times both in and out of court in an absolutely impartial manner and
to do nothing that would imply partisanship or any interest in the case except, the
proof of the facts and their correct interpretation.

1.6

To truthfully communicate with all parties (i.e., the investigator, prosecutor,

defense, and other expert witnesses) about information related to his/her
casework, when communications are permitted or ordered by judicial authority
and agency practice.

1.7

To maintain confidentiality of restricted information obtained in the course of

professional endeavors.

1.8

To give the best possible service in all cases, irrespective of the importance of the
matter, and to decline to act in any case in which surrounding circumstances
seriously restrict adequate execution.

1.9

To report to appropriate officials any conflicts between his/her

ethical/professional responsibilities and applicable agency policy, law, regulation,
or other legal authority.

1.10

To refuse to participate in any case in which he/she has any personal interest or
the appearance of such an interest and shall not be compensated based upon the
results of the proceeding.

1.11

To conduct oneself personally and professionally within the laws of his/her

respective jurisdiction and in a manner that does not violate public trust.

1.12

To report to the appropriate legal or administrative authorities unethical, illegal, or

scientifically questionable conduct of other practitioners of which he/she has
knowledge.

1.13

To never knowingly make, promote, or tolerate false accusations of a professional

or criminal nature.

1.14

To support scientific principles and practices and does not use his/her position to
pressure a practitioner to arrive at conclusions or results that are not supported by
reliable scientific data or sound logic.

1.15

To charge for services, when serving as a consultant, on a basis that considers the
extent and character of services rendered, the importance of the matter, and the
relationship of the problem submitted to the controversy as a whole.
Remuneration shall be fair and equitable considering all the elements in the case.
No engagement shall be undertaken on a contingent fee basis. Members
employed by public agencies under an annual salary or contract shall be
controlled in respect to monetary matters by policies within their organizations.

1.16

To make technically correct and conservative statements in all written or oral

reports, testimony, public address, or publications, and to avoid any misleading
or inaccurate claims.

1.17

To maintain a constant spirit of fairness, combined with high ethical, educational

and technical standards, thereby promoting justice and creating increased
confidence in the profession of forensic art; and by exemplary conduct and
scientific thoroughness carry out the aims and ideals of this association.

The ethical and professionally responsible Association of Law Enforcement Forensic

Artists (ALEFA) member:
Competency and Proficiency
2.01

Is committed to career-long learning in the forensic disciplines in which he/she

practices, and stays abreast of new technology and techniques while guarding
against the misuse of methods that have not been validated.

2.02

Expresses conclusions and opinions that are based on generally accepted

protocols and procedures. New and novel techniques must be validated prior to
implementation in casework.

2.03

Is properly trained and determined to be competent through relevant testing prior

to conducting casework.

2.04

Gives utmost care to the treatment of any samples or items of potential

evidentiary value to avoid tampering, alteration, loss or unnecessary consumption.

2.5.1

Uses best practices and standards, including peer reviews appropriate to his/her
discipline, when conducting casework.

Clear Communications
3.01

Accurately represents his/her education, training, experience, and area of

expertise.

3.02

Presents accurate and complete data in reports, testimony, publications and oral
presentations.

3.03

Makes and retains full, contemporaneous, clear and accurate records of all
examinations and tests conducted, and conclusions drawn, in sufficient detail to
allow meaningful review and assessment of the conclusions by an independent
person competent in the field.

3.04

Does not falsify or alter reports or other records, or withhold relevant information
from reports for strategic or tactical litigation advantage.

3.05

Testifies to results obtained and conclusions reached only when he/she has
confidence that the opinions are based on good scientific principles and methods.
Opinions are to be stated so as to be clear in their meaning.

3.06

Seeks permission from judicial authority to qualify his/her response while

testifying, if answering "yes" or "no" would be misleading to the judge or the
jury.

Organizational Responsibility
4.01

Does not misrepresent his/her affiliation with the ALEFA.

4.02

Does not issue any misleading or inaccurate statement that gives the appearance
of representing the official position of the ALEFA.