NCJ Number
60798
Journal
Journal of the Forensic Science Society Volume: 18 Issue: 3-4 Dated: (JULY-OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 165-170
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY OF THE 'INDIVIDUALITY' WHICH CAN BE INCORPORATED IN A PRACTICAL SYSTEM FOR TAGGING MATERIALS.
Abstract
FORENSIC TAGGING SUBSTANCES MUST HAVE 'INDIVIDUALITY' SO THAT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF A PARTICULAR CLASS OF SUBSTANCES SHOULD BE IDENTIFIABLE, AND THE SUBSTANCE SHOULD BE TRACEABLE. TRACEABILITY IS COMMONLY CONFERRED BY THE ADDITION OF AN ULTRAVIOLET FLUORESCENT AGENT SUCH AS ANTHRACENE. THE TAGGING MATERIAL SHOULD POSSESS A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF EASILY ASSESSED CHARACTERS SO THAT ITS FULL INFORMATION CONTENT CAN BE ASSESSED BY LABORATORY TECHNIQUES. A STUDY OF THE USE OF DYED LYCOPODIUM POWDER INDICATED THAT AN IDEAL TAGGING SUBSTANCE CONSISTS OF THE SPORE POWDER DYED WITH SOLUTIONS OF INDUSTRIAL METHYLATED SPIRITS OF 10 DISTINGUISHABLE COLORS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE POWDERS MADE FROM MIXTURES OF LYCOPODIUM SPORES BE THOROUGHLY HOMOGENEOUS, AND THAT METICULOUS HYGIENE BE REQUIRED DURING THE MIXING OF VARIOUS COLOR RATIOS SO THAT THE IDENTITY OF ANY PARTICULAR BATCH IS NOT DEGRADED. WHEN ANY BATCH OF A SPECIFIC COLOR IS MADE, ITS COLOR CAN BE MEASURED EN BLOC EITHER BY REFLECTANCE METHODS, OR BY MOUNTING A BULK SAMPLE IN A SUITABLE CLEARING AGENT AND MEASURING THE COLOR ON A SUITABLE PHOTOELECTRIC COLORIMETER. APPENDED MATERIAL DESCRIBES THE DYING PROCEDURES, AND INDICATES THE DYES AND DYE MIXTURES FOUND EFFECTIVE FOR PRODUCING VARIOUS STANDARD COLORS. A REFERENCE IS PROVIDED. (TWK).