The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) is the international professional organization for practitioners of Firearm and/or Toolmark Identification and has been dedicated to the exchange of information, methods and best practices, and the furtherance of research since its creation in 1969.
In accordance with that mission, the AFTE Annual Training Seminar, held for six days each spring/summer in different cities across North America, provides the greatest opportunity for the sharing of information, via presentations and workshops. The AFTE Journal, the Association’s peer-reviewed scientific journal, is published quarterly and was recently accepted to the SCOPUS ® abstract and citation database. The AFTE Website includes numerous resources, including the AFTE Forum, that are open to both the general public as well as the membership. The AFTE Glossary provides a common language for firearm and toolmark examiners, while results of laboratory examinations are communicated and interpreted in accordance with the AFTE Theory of Identification and the AFTE Range of Conclusions.