Team+5


 * __Ballistics and Firearms Investigation __**
 * Group Members: Kalea Brown, Joshua Elmore, Taylor Kelly, Sarah Shaw, and Bianca Wallace **



__ Firearm Classifications __ Firearms can fall under many categories, but the broadest of them all are long guns, and short guns. Rifles and shotguns would fall under the Long gun definition because they are generally lengthier and therefore easy to aim, yet it is difficult to traverse over long distances while carrying them; hand guns fall under the definition of Short guns due to their obviously small, compact size. Short guns are easily hidden and much lighter than long guns, however their shorter sight plane decreases it's accuracy. In addition and regardless as to whether or not it is a long or short gun, firearms can be considered revolvers, automatics, semi-automatics, or selective fires (which is a firearm that gives the operator the option to choose an automatic, or semi-automatic mode). Another classification is the caliber of a firearm, which is roughly a measure of the diameter of the firearm's barrel and the diameter of the bullet it requires for operation. In shotguns the term caliber is rarely used, instead the term guage is used (weirdly, guage is not interchangeable with the term caliber because it does not refer to the bullet or barrel's diameter, it actually refers to the amount of lead spheres one would need to fill the bore of a shotgun with to equal a pound). Revolver Animation: [] Semi-automatic Animation: [] Automatic examples : []

Here is a video that explains //some// of these classifications in very general terms, and provides other useful information not directly related to investigation but may give you insight into who may own certain types of firearms and why: []



__ Gunshot Residue Analysis __ Firing a weapon produces combustion of both the primer and powder of the cartridge. The residue of the combustion products, called gunshot residue, can consist of both burned and unburned primer or powder components, and can be used to detect a fired cartridge. (Saverio Romolo and Margot, 2001). Gunshot residue may be found on the skin or clothing of the person who fired the gun, on an entrance wound of a victim, or on other target materials at the scene. The discharge of a firearm, particularly a revolver, can deposit residues even to persons at close proximity, so interpretations as to who fired the weapon should be made with caution. (Thornton, 1986) Here a ink on how it's done: []



__ Firearms Investigation __ Criminal investigation requires extensive knowledge of the evidentiary value of the physical evidence associated with firearms. In the vast majority of homicide cases, the victim is killed with a gun. Because of the evidentiary value of locating a firearm used in a crime, investigators go to great lengths to find the weapon, searching storm drains, mailboxes, abandoned vehicles, lakes, rivers, etc., sometimes in a several-mile radius. A variety of physical evidence can be gathered from firearms, bullets, shot pellets, slugs, shell casings and gunshot residue. There may be fingerprints, blood or other biological evidence on the firearm, clips, magazine or bullets. The serial number on a firearm may prove ownership and/or provide an investigator with the ability to trace a gun from its manufacturer to sale and ownership. Here is a video that describes the forensic aspect of firearms investigation: []



__ NIBIN Database __ NIBIN stands for the National Integrated Ballistics Network and is used by many crime laboratories across the country. NIBIN was created in 1999 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Once the evidence is collected, and send to the crime laboratory, the examiner takes digital images of the markings made on spent ammunition, or test-fires the weapon, and enters the images into NIBIN. These images show the "breechface impressions found on the primers of fired cartridge casings" (Spraggs, 2010). []

This video uses great vocabulary words we learned about Ballistics and can help us apply what we learned to a visual aid: []

__ IBIS Database __ IBIS is the Integrated Ballistics Identifications System. It is used by partners of the NIBIN system and contains the same images if markings made on fired cartridges and bullets recovered from a crime scene of a crime gun test fire. In a matter of hours, IBIS compares these images with NIBIN to see if there is a match. Firearm examiners then compare the original evidence with a microscope to confirm their match or not. The fact that the NIBIN/IBIS platforms run online, make it possible for this indexing system to be used locally, regionally, and even nationally.

There have been many improvements in the area of Ballistics, especially in terms of the databases used to store the information. This video shows a newer system called IBIS Bulletrax 3D and how it helped the Santa Ana PD prosecute a killer 12 years after the crime was initially committed. Without the newer IBIS technology, this criminal may never have been apprehended. []

__** CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION: **__ In many instances in the Criminal Justice field, we are under the misconception that shows portray real life examples of how crimes occur and how crime scenes are handled. As we all know, it is important to use extreme precautions when analyzing a crime scene especially one that consists of bullets and other evidence. As pointed out earlier in the semester it is imperative that bullets are treated with caution when being removed from a crime scene. If a bullet is lodged into the wall then it would be important for the investigator to chip away at the wall surrounding the bullet being careful to not actually puncture the bullet. This is especially important because all bullets are unique in shape. The bullets will all have different patterns and groovings in them and in order to link them to a particular gun it is very important to perserve them as best as possible.

Below is a link to watch a crime scene from a shooting. []

I recently found on a website for the FBI the following information about removal of bullets as well as evidence from a crime scene.

__** NOTE TAKING AND EVIDENCE MARKING: **__ Make a sketch of the area which shows the location of each evidence item collected. The sketch should contain location measurements which reference each evidence item to a fixed object or a reference point. Photographs should be used to supplement notes and sketches, but not as a substitute for them. For later identification the serial number of a firearm should be recorded. Some older rifles and shotguns, however, may not have a serial number. If the firearm is marked for identification by scribing, the marks should be placed in a location were they will not damage the appearance or value of the firearm.

__** BULLETS EMBEDDED IN WOOD OR PLASTER: **__ Do not attempt to dig a bullet out. Remove by cutting out a portion of tile material in which the bullet is embedded. Send the piece of material containing the bullet to the laboratory.

__** REMOVAL OF AN EVIDENCE BULLET FROM THE BODY OF A DECEASED PERSON: **__ X-ray the body first. Ask the doctor not to use forceps, but, if possible, to use his fingers or rubber tipped forceps to remove bullets. Bloody bullets should be washed in running water without scrubbing. Do not wash a projectile if trace evidence might be present such as may occur in a ricochet or deflection. If a bullet is washed do not use a brush or other item for cleaning. After washing it is IMPERATIVE bullets be dried prior to packaging. Dry the bullets by blotting (not rolling) with a soft dry facial or toilet tissue. Sealing a bloody or wet bullet in an air-tight package can cause corrosion of identifiable detail on the bullet. Wrap in soft tissue paper and seal in a labeled paper envelope or box. Package each bullet separately. DO NOT MARK the bullet or allow it to be marked. Mark the sealed container with a description of the bullet and all other pertinent data. You may wish to make a sketch of the bullet for your records. If you wish consultation on these procedures as they relate to your specific case, call the local criminalistics laboratory.

__** FIRED CARTRIDGE CASES, WADS AND PELLETS: **__ CARTRIDGE CASES: It may be possible to determine the position of a shooter by the location of ejected cartridge casings. Make a sketch with ACCURATE measurements of the location of fired cartridge cases. Again, package each item separately and mark the packages with the pertinent information.

SHOT WADS: When a shotgun is fired, the wads travel along with, or behind, the shot charge for a short distance. In those cases involving close shots, wadding may be found in either the victim's bodv or in his clothing. Follow same packaging procedure as for bullets.

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__**BALLISTICS **__ Ballistics is the science of the travel of a projectile in flight. It’s the study of the flight, firing, and the different effects of ammunition. The flight path of a bullet normally includes: travel down the barrel, path through the air, and path through a target. Gun Ballistics is the movement of the projectile from the moment a shot was fired at the time of the shooting, to the time of impact with the target. Gun Ballistics can be broken down into 4 major categories:


 * Internal Ballistics, which is the study of the process that has initially accelerated the projectile. A common example is a passage way of a bullet through the barrel of a gun.
 * Transitional Ballistics, which is the study of the projectiles movements when it departs the barrel and the pressure from behind the projectile is equalized.
 * External Ballistics, is the study of passage thru a median.
 * Terminal Ballistics, is the study of communication of a projectile with its given target.

Forensic Ballistics refers to the investigation of analyzing firearms used in crimes. This typically involves the examination of bullets and bullet impacts to conclude the type. Tool mark and firearm analysis normally involves carefully evaluating the firearm, the tool mark evidence and ammunition, to be able to help gather information as to what tool was used during a specific crime.

The faster the bullet is released from the gun, the more energy it has. The higher the energy, the faster, and longer distance the bullet travels. The bullets that are fired from a rifle, tend to have more energy than ones from a handgun. The chambers of rifles are much stronger than handguns and support a larger explosive power. The rifle produces more speed and energy for the bullet action.