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LABORATORY PROFICIENCY TESTING PROGRAM - REPORT NO 16 PAINT EXAMINATION

NCJ Number
47537
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1977
Length
24 pages
Annotation
TEST ANALYSES PERFORMED BY 102 FORENSIC LABORATORIES ON PAINT SAMPLES ARE REPORTED IN ONE OF A SERIES OF PROFICIENCY SURVEYS.
Abstract
EACH LABORATORY WAS SENT THREE PAINT SAMPLES -- SAMPLE B REPRESENTING PAINT REMOVED FROM THE DOOR JAMB OF A BURGLARIZED BUILDING, AND SAMPLES A AND C FOUND ON THE CLOTHING OF TWO DIFFERENT SUSPECTS. THE LABORATORIES WERE TO DETERMINE WHETHER EITHER A AND/OR C COULD HAVE COME FROM THE SAME SOURCE AS B AND TO INDICATE THEIR METHODS OF ANALYSIS. THE SAMPLE SUPPLIER'S CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SAMPLES INDICATES THAT NONE COULD HAVE A COMMON ORIGIN WITH ANOTHER. A REFEREE LABORATORY'S FINDINGS CONFIRM THIS CHARACTERIZATION. OF THE RESPONDING LABORATORIES, 67 (65.6 PERCENT) CORRECTLY DETERMINED THAT NEITHER A NOR C WAS THE SAME AS B; 11 (10.7 PERCENT) RESPONDED THAT A BUT NOT C WAS THE SAME AS B; 11 (10.7 PERCENT) RESPONDED THAT C BUT NOT A WAS THE SAME AS B; 3 (2.9 PERCENT) ANSWERED THAT BOTH A AND C COULD HAVE COME FROM THE SAME SOURCE AS B; AND THE REMAINING 10 LABORATORIES REPORTED MIXED AND/OR INCONCLUSIVE FINDINGS. DETAILS OF THE METHODS AND FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED IN TABLES, INCLUDING A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF RESPONSE FROM INDIVIDUAL LABORATORIES. AN EXPLANATION OF SURVEY METHODS AND A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE PROVIDED. OTHER PROFICIENCY TESTS INVOLVING PAINT ANALYSIS ARE REPORTED IN NCJ-47526 AND 47531. TESTS OF OTHER SUBSTANCES ARE REPORTED IN NCJ 47522-47525, 47527-47530, 47532-47536, AND 47538-47542. (LKM)