IAIL CFL case studies
IAIL CFL · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The IAIL Certified Forensic Locksmith (CFL) credential is aimed at locksmiths and forensic examiners who examine, document, and testify about locking hardware and key evidence rather than simply opening doors. It sits at the intersection of trade craft and forensic science: candidates must identify mechanisms, recognise and interpret tool marks and entry indicators, and defend their findings in writing and on the witness stand. The IAIL CFL case studies are 5 cases and about 4,270 words.
1The Deadbolt That Was Extended When the Door Stood Open
At 08:15 a patrol unit responds to a reported burglary at a 1990s tract home. The rear exterior door is found ajar about 10 cm.
894 words, about 4 min2The Worn SFIC Key and the Unreconciled Key Schedule
During a burglary investigation at a public high school, a key is recovered from the jacket pocket of a person stopped two blocks away. It is a 7-pin small-format interchangeable core (SFIC) key of a common Best-style system.
866 words, about 4 min3The Stapled Bag and the Reassembled Padlock
At 02:40 a storage-facility manager reports a unit door standing open. The unit is secured by a laminated steel padlock with a hardened shackle.
813 words, about 4 min4Three Smeared Striations and a Request for Certainty
Pry marks are found on the aluminium door frame of a commercial unit: three lever marks beside the deadbolt, each about 6 mm wide at its widest point, with a 2 mm deep fulcrum dent. The frame is aluminium and the marks contain faint striations, but the metal has smeared and only three or four striations are visible in each mark.
812 words, about 4 min5The Landlord Who Wanted Forced Entry
A property-management company hires you, a forensic locksmith, after a tenant vacates a commercial suite and the landlord files an insurance claim for 'forced entry damage' to the rear service door. The maintenance supervisor has already replaced the deadbolt and strike plate and discarded them.
885 words, about 4 min