DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUES FOR THE DETECTION OF AIRBORNE GUNSHOT RESIDUES, FIRST YEAR, FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 2548
• Author(s): W A JESTER; W B RENFRO
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 73 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI-70-065-PG-13
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Pennsylvania State University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A TECHNIQUE WHICH CAN TELL AN INVESTIGATIVE OFFICER IF AND WHEN A FIREARM HAS RECENTLY BEEN FIRED IN A ROOM.

Abstract

THE TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED OPERATES IN THE FOLLOWING WAY UPON ARRIVING AT THE SCENE OF A CRIME WHICH INVOLVED THE DISCHARGING OF A FIREARM, THE INVESTIGATIVE OFFICER WOULD USE A SMALL PORTABLE AIR SAMPLER TO COLLECT SAMPLES OF THE DEBRIS SUSPENDED IN THE AIR OF THE ROOMS POTENTIALLY INVOLVED. THE SAMPLES WOULD THEN BE PROMPTLY TAKEN TO A LABORATORY HAVING A NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS CAPABILITY, WHERE THEY WOULD BE RAPIDLY ANALYZED FOR TRACES OF GUNSHOT RESIDUES. THE PRESENCE OF SUCH RESIDUES WOULD ESTABLISH WHERE THE FIREARM WAS FIRED. IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH WHEN THE WEAPON WAS FIRED, POSSIBLY A CAREFULLY STAGED REENACTMENT OF THE FIRING WOULD BE CONDUCTED AT A LATER DATE. THIS WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY PERIODIC COLLECTIONS OF THE RESULTING AIRBORNE MATERIAL TO MEASURE THE RATE AT WHICH THE RESIDUE IS REMOVED FROM THE AIR IN THE ROOM, AND THUS ESTABLISH THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL FIRING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)