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FAQ's for Non-Members
I need to find and contact an expert in a forensic area. Can I do that through ACFEI's website?
Yes. By visiting ACFEI’s Find a Forensic Specialist, you may search for ACFEI members by specialty and state.
I need to verify membership and information on one of your members. How can I get this information?
In order to release information on any of our members, we require written verifications containing
the signature of the person of which you are requesting information. You can send verification request
to our association by fax (417) 881-4702 or by mail (2750 East Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65804).
Where can I find information about advertising in The Forensic Examiner®?
To find information about advertising in The Forensic Examiner®, visit ACFEI’s
Advertising page.
FAQ's for New Membership
Who can become a member of ACFEI?
Anyone who is interested in forensics may join the association to have access to ACFEI's
peer-reviewed publication The Forensic Examiner® and ACFEI's conferences and other continuing
education opportunities. For example, ACFEI offers a special membership for full-time students
so that they can join and learn more about the exciting fields of forensic study.
Are members "certified" by ACFEI?
No, becoming a member of ACFEI does not include certification. However, ACFEI offers qualified
professionals several certification programs, many of which are
based around specific specialties.
What do I get with my ACFEI membership?
Please click here to view the membership benefits.
Will ACFEI sell or share my personal information with third parties?
No. The privacy of our members is extremely important to us. All of the personal information sent
to us is kept confidential.
How long does the ACFEI application and certification process take?
The application and certification process usually takes 3-5 weeks after we receive all
requested documentation. You will also receive a welcome email in 5-7 business days.
FAQ's for Existing Membership
Can I check my membership status online?
Yes, the Members Only section will show your renewal date after you log in.
How can I update my contact information?
If you have moved, changed jobs, have a new area code, new email address, or simply want to confirm
what contact information we have on file, you may call member services or the accounting department,
8:00am – 5:00pm CST toll free at (800) 423-9737, send a fax with your updated information to
417-881-4702, or update online by visiting the Modify Account page in the Members Only Area.
Whom should I call to confirm that my dues payment was received?
For questions regarding your membership dues, you may call the accounting department,
8:00am – 5:00pm CST toll free at (800) 423-9737. A second renewal notice may cross in the
mail with your payment; simply disregard this notice. You may also check your membership
status online to verify a payment was received by visiting the Members Only Area.
Can I find and contact Certified members of ACFEI?
Yes. By visiting the Certification Directory in the Members Only Area, you may search for
members Certified through ACFEI by certification and state.
Can I contact other ACFEI members in my field or in a different field?
Yes. By visiting ACFEI's Find a Forensic Specialist, you may search for ACFEI members by specialty
and state.
Can other people find and contact me?
Yes. By filling out an ACFEI division sign-up form, you can enroll in divisions that apply to
your specialty ($35 per division). Once you are enrolled in at least one division, members and
non-members will be able to find your contact information by visiting ACFEI's Find a Forensic Specialist. Diplomats and Fellows receive one free listing.
Is there any way I can communicate with all ACFEI members?
ACFEI is developing a forum in the Members-Only Area where you can read other members' comments and
post comments of your own.
When is the next ACFEI National Conference?
The next ACFEI Conference will be held in San Diego, California, on September 4-6, 2008. For
detailed information, visit ACFEI's Conference page.
What if my membership or certification certificate was lost or damaged?
You may request a replacement certificate for $25. Please visit the Members Only logo order section.
FAQ's for The Forensic Examiner®
What kind of writing does The Forensic Examiner® accept?
The Forensic Examiner® is always accepting manuscripts, case studies, forensic case profiles,
and current issues in the field of forensics for consideration.
Who can submit writing to The Forensic Examiner®?
Anyone with forensic-related experience can submit writing for consideration in The Forensic Examiner®. Even if you have never published before and have little writing experience, the
Editorial Department of The Forensic Examiner® can help you create an article you will be proud
to share with your peers! Publishing articles in our prestigious peer-reviewed journal can bring
many professional benefits and recognition to your career, so take advantage of this exclusive
opportunity and submit your work today. View The Forensic Examiner's submission guidelines
for more information.
How do I submit my writing to The Forensic Examiner®?
Whether you wish to submit an article for peer review, a case study, a forensic case profile, or
an article on a current issue in the field of forensics, view The Forensic Examiner's submission guidelines and send your writing electronically by e-mail to the Editor. Or, send in your writing
on a disk or CD to Editor, Association Headquarters, 2750 E. Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65804.
How can I find an article from an old issue of The Forensic Examiner®?
You can find and view all of The Forensic Examiner® CE articles from the past 2 years online
for free by visiting The Forensic Examiner’s CE Articles Online.
To retrieve columns or older articles and columns featured in The Forensic Examiner®, send an email
to editor@acfei.com containing the following information: the issue containing the text you are
requesting, the author of the text, the title of the text, and your contact information (name,
phone number, fax number, physical address). Once the text you have requested is located, you will
be contacted and asked if you would like to receive the text by email as a .pdf ($10 fee),
by fax ($10 fee), or by mail ($12 fee) and for your payment information.
The CE articles in The Forensic Examiner® are peer reviewed. How does the peer review
process work?
Each manuscript submitted for consideration to The Forensic Examiner® is sent out to three members
of The Forensic Examiner's Editorial Advisory Board, which is made up of almost 40 forensic experts.
In order for a manuscript to be considered for publication in The Forensic Examiner®, it must be
accepted by at least two of its three reviewers. The peer review process is a double-blind process.
This means reviewers do not know who the authors are, and authors do not know who the reviewers are.
FAQ's for Renewals
Whom should I call if I haven't received a renewal invoice?
To request a renewal invoice, you may call the Accounting Department, 8:00am – 5:00pm CST toll
free at (800) 423-9737 or you may request an invoice by sending an email to the Accounting Department [selecting Accounting from the dropdown list].
Can I renew by telephone?
Yes, you may find out what your dues are and pay by telephone with a credit card. Simply call
member services or the accounting department, 8:00am – 5:00pm CST toll free at (800) 423-9737.
Can I renew online?
Yes, you may renew your membership dues online by simply filling out a membership renewal
application. Click here to view the renewal application.
Can I renew by fax?
Yes, you may fax the completed renewal form with credit card payment information to 417-881-4702
to the attention of the accounting department.
FAQ's for Certification
Who can be certified by ACFEI?
Only qualified professionals who meet ACFEI's stringent educational and professional requirements
can apply for certification through ACFEI. Once a professional meets these standards, he or she
must then pass the appropriate exam or exams before he or she can earn certification. For the
specific requirements of each of ACFEI's certifications, please click here for information on certification programs.
After I apply for Diplomate status with ACFEI, what will I need to submit to complete the
application process?
To become a Diplomate of ACFEI, you must provide the signed application and include the telephone
numbers and names of two professional references, a copy of your resume, a copy of your educational
degrees, and a copy of any professional license(s) you may hold (or have held in the past). Once a
professional meets these standards, he or she must successfully pass a certification exam for one
of ACFEI's certification programs.
How do I become a Fellow of ACFEI?
Please click here to read the requirements and to apply for fellow status.
Are there qualifying exams for ACFEI's certifications?
Professionals applying for certification through ACFEI must pass one or more exams
to earn their certifications. ACFEI offers several certification programs, many of which are
based around specific forensic specialties.
In order to earn most of these certifications, a professional must meet specific educational and
professional requirements and pass a detailed examination, either after completing one of ACFEI's
certification review courses offerd at conference or online.
Once a member is certified, what must he or she do to maintain the certification?
ACFEI places a high priority on continuing education, and once a member is certified by ACFEI,
either through the successful completion of one of our certification programs or the Diplomate
program, he or she must maintain membership in ACFEI and is expected to complete a minimum of 15
hours of related continuing education per year to maintain the certification. ACFEI offers
appropriate professional continuing education opportunities through its national and regional
conferences and though journal learning articles in its peer-reviewed publication The Forensic Examiner®. ACFEI also accepts appropriate continuing education from other equivalent organizations. ACFEI offers several continuing education articles online for free.
Is ACFEI recognized by any other associations or certifying organizations?
Yes, a number of outside organizations and certifying bodies recognize ACFEI and the continuing
professional education it sponsors. Please click here to view the approvals and accreditations.
FAQ's for Continuing Education
How many continuing education credits do I have to submit each year?
Each certified member is expected to submit a minimum of 15 CEs per calendar year.
When does my CE requirement begin?
The CE requirement begins on January 1 of the calendar year immediately following the year of
certification. Refer to the Certification certificate for the date of certification. The
actual act of certification supplies the necessary CE for that calendar year.
How much time do I have to submit my CE?
The CE reporting period runs from January 1 to December 31. The first 15 CEs submitted during
that period will be applied to the current calendar year. Any excess will be banked ahead to
future years.
How can I earn CEs through ACFEI?
ACFEI offers a variety of avenues for acquiring CE credits. You can receive CE credits by reading
articles in our peer-reviewed publication and completing accompanying quizzes. The same articles
and quizzes are also available online. CE credits are also given for attendance at our conferences,
teaching relevant courses or workshops, or authoring an article or column for The Forensic Examiner
or the Inside Homeland Security publications.
Can I earn CEs from outside sources?
Yes, ACFEI's CE department also accepts CE awarded by equivalent outside sponsors for review.
To obtain credit, submit a certificate of completion that clearly shows the sponsoring agency's
name, title of the workshop/course, date of the event, and number of CEUs or contact hours awarded.
Send this information to the ACFEI CE department via fax (417) 881-4702 or mail (2750 E. Sunshine,
Springfield, MO 65804). ACFEI honors outside CE submitted on a CE-to-CE basis. This means that
outside CE submitted with a number of contact hours are honored at the number of contact hours
minus 1 hour for lunch and breaks.
How many CEs can I earn when I teach a course or workshop, give a speech, or sit on a panel?
For each relevant course/workshop taught for an equivalent organization, panel you sit on or
speech you give related to forensics, you are awarded 3 CEs. For every course/workshop related
to forensics taught at the college or university level, you receive 5 CEs.
How do I submit my CE to ACFEI for each year?
You may choose to submit CE as you get it throughout the year or wait and submit all 15 at once
at the end of the year. Regardless, please use one of the CE Reporting Forms to tally your total
CE points. All outside CE is subject to review.
What happens if I submit more than 15 CE in one year?
Although certified members are only expected to submit 15 total CE each year, you can choose to
submit more than 15 CE's. CE's in excess of 15 hours is applied to future calendar years.