The fourth edition of Forensic Science: The Basics updates the work done by various commissions and committees to address the issues raised in the National Academy of Sciences 2009 report, “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward”. The National Commission on Forensic Sciences, formed in 2013, worked toward promoting validity and cohesiveness in the forensic sciences and criminal justice systems until it was disbanded in 2017. Currently the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and its Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) are striving to involve stakeholders in discussions to recommend policy changes throughout the various forensic science disciplines.