ANALYSIS OF A BEAN-BAG-TYPE PROJECTILE AS A LESS LETHAL WEAPON

• NCJ Number: 34846
• Author(s): B K THEIN; E B SHANK; M J WARGOVICH
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 150 pages
• Contract Number(s): LEAA-J-IAA-014-72
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: US Dept of the Army
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT ANALYZES THE STUN-BAG IN TERMS OF DESIRABLE AND UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS FROM THE USE OF THE WEAPON IN DIFFERENT LAW ENFORCEMENT SCENARIOS.

Abstract

AMMUNITION/PROJECTILE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS (ACCURACY, FLIGHT ORIENTATION, IMPACT POSITION, VARIANCE IN WEIGHTS AND VELOCITIES) WERE TESTED AND A MEDICAL EVALUATION OF THE RESULTS OF TESTS ON BABOONS AND SWINE WAS MADE. TWO SCENARIOS WERE CHOSEN FOR EVALUATION THE SUSPECT FLEEING ON FOOT AND THE DISPERSAL OF A CROWD. MEDICAL EVALUATIONS FROM THE ANIMAL TESTS INDICATED THAT STUN-BAG IMPACTS TEND TO CAUSE INTERNAL ORGAN DAMAGES WITHOUT PROVIDING IMMEDIATE, FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY OR 'STOPPING POWER'. TEST SHOT DATA, WHEN APPLIED TO THE FLEEING SUSPECT SCENARIO, INDICATE A CONSIDERABLY HIGHER PROBABILITY OF UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS THAN OF DESIRABLE EFFECTS. IN SUMMARY, THE STUN-BAG APPEARS TO OFFER LITTLE TO LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AS AN AUGMENTATION TO THEIR PRESENT STANDARD WEAPON, THE .38 CALIBER. ANALYSIS OF THE TESTS SHOWED THAT THE STUN-BAG'S ABILITY TO AID THE POLICE IN APPREHENDING A FLEEING SUSPECT OR DISPERSING A CROWD IS MARGINAL AT BEST AND AT PRESENT DOES NOT ADEQUATELY SATISFY POLICE REQUIREMENTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)