The FBI crime laboratory is changing a few procedures after a review by outside scientists and crime experts, the lab's director said.
The lab, criticized in recent years from within and without for shoddy work and thinly supported conclusions, gained recognition Tuesday from a national standards board.Accreditation by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors means the lab at the agency's Washington headquarters meets requirements for procedures and quality for a variety of crime-related tests, such as chemical and DNA examination.
The FBI did not seek accreditation until after the report last year from Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich. Bromwich blasted the lab for flawed scientific work and court testimony biased in favor of the prosecution in major cases including the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings.