GUNSHOT RESIDUE DETECTION USING INORGANIC LUMINESCENCE EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

• NCJ Number: 32106
• Author(s): P F Jones; R S Nesbitt; J E Wessel; G M Wolten
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 80 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-025-73
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Aerospace Corporation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A NUMBER OF HAND AND POCKET SAMPLES TAKEN VARYING TIMES AFTER FIRING AND AFTER VARYING NUMBERS OF POCKET INSERTIONS, GATHERED BY THE TAPE ADHESIVE COLLECTION METHOD, WERE SUBJECTED TO ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS.

Abstract

ANTIMONY (SB), LEAD (PB), AND BARIUM (BA) WERE SEARCHED FOR IN THE SAMPLES, WHICH WERE TAKEN FROM FIRINGS OF THE .22, .32, .380 CALIBER, AND 9 MM SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOLS, AND .22, .32, AND .38 CALIBER REVOLVERS. THE DATA SUGGEST THAT LEAD IS SLIGHTLY MORE USEFUL THAN BARIUM AS AN INDICATOR OF THE PRESENCE OF GUNSHOT RESIDUE. TRANSFER OF RESIDUE FROM HANDS TO POCKETS WAS READILY APPARENT FROM THE ANTIMONY CONTENT OF SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE POCKET. IT WAS ALSO OBSERVED, AS REPORTED BY OTHERS, THAT ALTHOUGH RESIDUE COULD BE REMOVED BY WIPING HANDS ON CLOTHING OR WITH TOWELS, DETECTABLE TRACES OF ANTIMONY REMAINED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)