DETECTION OF GUNSHOT RESIDUE PARTICLES FROM THE HANDS OF A SHOOTER

• NCJ Number: 57777
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 725-738
• Author(s): V R MATRICARDI; J W KILTY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A TECHNIQUE TO IDENTIFY AS GUNSHOT RESIDUE (GSR) INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES WHICH ARE PART OF THE COMPONENTS OF SMOKE EMANATING FROM A DISCHARGED FIREARM IS DESCRIBED IN THIS INTERIM REPORT.

Abstract

THE IDENTIFICATION OF GUNSHOT RESIDUE (GSR) IS OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE POLICE, PROSECUTORS, AND CRIMINOLOGISTS. ALL WANT A TEST THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE EXISTENCE OF GSR ON A SUBJECT'S HAND. THE METHOD DESCRIBED IN THIS PAPER CONSISTS OF COLLECTING PARTICLES FROM THE SHOOTER'S HAND AND EXAMINING SOME OF THE PARTICLES INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE AND ITS ASSOCIATED X-RAY ANALYZER FOR ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION AND CHARACTERISTIC APPEARANCE. SINCE THE TECHNIQUE IS STILL IN THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE, ITS EFFICACY IN ROUTINE CASEWORK WILL DEPEND ON SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH AND FIELD TRIALS. DISADVANTAGES OF THE TECHNIQUE ARE ITS METHOD OF PARTICLE COLLECTION (USING A STICKY ADHESIVE WHICH IS AN UNSTABLE BASE) AND TIME REQUIRED FOR THE SEARCH AND IDENTIFICATION OF GSR PARTICLES (A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THE FULL ATTENTION OF AN EXPERIENCED OPERATOR FOR 10 MINUTES TO 8 HOURS). AUTOMATION OF THE SEARCH PROCESS IS THE ESSENTIAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDED BEFORE THE TECHNIQUE CAN BE ROUTINELY USED. EXTENSIVE TABLES, GRAPHS, AND PHOTOGRAPHIC DATA ACCOMPANY THE ARTICLE. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (MJW)