Handbook of Forensic Services articles

Recent articles from Handbook of Forensic Services

Introduction.(Handbook of Forensic Services )(product information)
January 1, 2003... The purpose of the Handbook of Forensic Services is to provide guidance and procedures for safe and efficient methods of collecting, preserving, packaging, and shipping evidence and to describe the forensic examinations performed by the FBI's...

Submitting evidence.(criminal investigation)
January 1, 2003... Requesting Evidence Examinations All requests for evidence examinations should be in writing, on agency letterhead, and addressed to the FBI Laboratory Evidence Control Unit, unless otherwise indicated in the Examinations section. The requests...

Abrasives examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Examinations can determine what type of abrasive material was used to sabotage engines or machinery. Questions concerning abrasives evidence should be directed to 703-632-8441. Follow the Evidence Submission directions including Requesting...

Adhesives, caulks, and sealants examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Adhesives, caulks, and sealants can be compared by color and composition with known sources. The source and manufacturer of adhesives, caulks, and sealants cannot be determined by compositional analysis. Questions concerning adhesives,...

Anthropological examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Anthropological examinations can determine whether something is a bone and, if so, whether it is human or animal in origin. Race, sex, approximate height and stature, and approximate age at death can be determined from human remains. Damage to...

Arson examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Arson examinations can determine the presence of ignitable liquids introduced to a fire scene. Examinations of debris recovered from scenes can identify gasoline, fuel oils, and speciality solvents. Examinations generally cannot identify...

Audio examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Authenticity Authenticity examinations are conducted to determine whether audio recordings are original, continuous, unaltered, and consistent with the operation of the recording device used to make the recording. Enhancement ...

Bank security dyes examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Bank dye packs contain dye to stain money and clothing and tear gas to disorient a robber. Items such as money and clothing can be analyzed for the presence of dye and tear gas. Questions concerning bank security dyes evidence should be...

Building materials examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Examinations can compare building materials such as brick, mortar, plaster, stucco, cement, and concrete. Questions concerning building materials evidence should be directed to 703-632-7690. Follow the Evidence Submission directions...

Bullet jacket alloy examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Elemental analysis of bullet jackets can be done when a bullet has fragmented so that individual pieces cannot be used for comparison to test-fired ammunition from a firearm or in the absence of a firearm or the lead component of the bullet....

Bullet lead examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Elemental analysis of the lead component of a bullet may be done when the bullet lacks aufficient microscopic marks for association with a specific firearm or when no firearm is recovered. The concentrations of selected elements in the lead...

Chemical examinations of general unknowns.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... General unknowns include powders, liquids, and stains which are of indeterminate origin or cannot be readily classified. Full identification of an unknown may not be possible; however, general classification of a substance is usually...

Computer examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Content Examinations can determine what type of data files are in a computer. Comparison Examinations can compare data files to known documents and data files. Transaction Examinations can determine the time and sequence...

Controlled substances examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Controlled substances examinations can establish trace-drug presence, identity, and quantity. Bulk Drugs The Laboratory limits the quantity of bulk drugs that it will analyze. Quantities exceeding 100 grams of marijuana or 10 grams of...

Crime scene surveys, documentation, and reconstruction.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Visual Information Specialists provide two- and three-dimensional victim and crime scene reconstructions and computer-animated modeling depicting bullet trajectory, line-of-sight analysis, and vehicular and human movement analysis. ...

Cryptanalysis and racketeering records examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Cryptanalysis Cryptanalysis examinations involve the analysis of encoded and enciphered documents used by terrorists, foreign intelligence agents, violent criminals, street and prison gangs, and organized crime groups. Encrypted documents...

DNA examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Deoxyribonucleic acid )
January 1, 2003... Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is analyzed in body fluids, stains, and other biological tissues recovered from evidence. The results of DNA analysis of questioned biological samples are compared with the results of DNA analysis of known samples....

Electronic devices examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Commercial Electronic Devices Examinations of commercial electronic devices including personal digital assistants (PDA), cellular telephones, pagers, and global positioning systems (GPS), can extract user and/or owner-entered data and...

Explosives examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Evidence resulting from an apparent explosion and/or recovery of an explosive device can be examined. Examinations are based on the premise that components and accessories used to construct the devices survive the explosion, although...

Explosives residue examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Instrumental analyses of explosives residue can determine whether substances are high explosive, low explosive, or incendiary mixtures; whether the composition of the substances is consistent with known explosives' products; and the type of...

Facial imaging.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Visual Information Specialists provide composite drawings, two- and three-dimensional facial reconstructions from skeletal remains, facial age progressions, postmortem reconstructions, and digital photographic manipulations and retouches. ...

FBI disaster squad.(Evidence Examinations)(Federal Bureau of Investigation )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... * Assists in printing the deceased at disaster scenes. * Assists in collecting antemortem fingerprints of victims. * Assists in identifying friction ridge skin of the deceased. * Deployment of the FBI's Disaster Squad requires...

Feather examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Feather examinations can determine bird species and can compare feathers found on clothing, vehicles, and other objects with feathers from the crime scene. Questions concerning feather evidence should be directed to 703-632-7690. Follow...

Firearms examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Firearms Firearms examinations can determine the general condition of a firearm and whether the firearm is mechanically functional or in a condition that could contribute to an unintentional discharge. Trigger-pull examinations can...

Glass examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Glass comparison examinations can determine whether particles of glass originated from a broken source of glass. Glass fracture examinations can determine the direction and type of the breaking force and the sequencing of shots. Questions...

Gunshot residue on hands examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... For muzzle-to-target distance determinations involving gunshot residue, see Firearms Examinations. When a firearm is discharged, vaporous and particulate materials called gunshot residue (GSR) are expelled. After collecting gunshot residue...

Hairs and fibers examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Hairs Hair examinations can determine whether hairs are animal or human. Race, body area, method of removal, damage, and alteration (e.g., bleaching or dyeing) can be determined from human hair analysis. Examinations can associate a hair...

Image analysis examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Photographic Comparisons Examinations of film, negatives, digital images, photographic prints, and video recordings including surveillance images involve comparisons of subject(s) depicted in the questioned images with known images (e.g.,...

Ink examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Examining inked writing in conjunction with other techniques (e.g., handwriting analysis, watermark identification) can provide details regarding document preparation. The composition of writing inks varies with the type of writing instrument...

Latent prints examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Developing Latent Prints at Crime Scenes The Laboratory is the best place to develop latent prints; however, it is sometimes necessary to develop latent prints at crime scenes. Caution should be taken to prevent destroying latent prints....

Lubricants examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Lubricants encompass a range of substances including petroleum products, natural fatty ester oils, and polyalkylene glycol oils. Automotive fluids (e.g., engine oil, brake fluid), certain cosmetics (e.g., bath oils, lotions), and some polishes...

Metallurgy examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Comparison Comparative examinations can determine whether two metals or metallic objects came from the same source or from each other. Metal comparisons can identify various surface and microstructural characteristics including fractured...

National missing persons DNA database examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
January 1, 2003... Samples must be submitted through FBI field offices or resident agencies. All submissions must have an FBI Investigative Classification of 301 unless the samples are submitted under an existing FBI case identification number. Samples should...

Paint examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... A comparison of the layer structure of a questioned paint sample can be compared with known sources. The sequence, relative thickness, color, texture, number, and chemical composition of each of the layers can be compared. The color,...

Pepper spray or foam examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Oleoresin capsicum is a resin in various peppers. It may be used in self-defense sprays or foams. Ultraviolet dye (orange) and/or tear gas may be also be in the sprays or foams. Items can be analyzed for the presence of oleoresin capsicum, dye,...

Pharmaceutical examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Pharmaceutical examinations can identify constituents, active ingredients, quantity, and weight. Questions concerning pharmaceutical evidence should be directed to 703-632-8441. Follow the Evidence Submission directions including...

Polymers examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Polymer evidence typically consists of pieces of plastic or other man-made materials. The source, use, or manufacturer of polymer evidence usually cannot be identified by composition analysis. Motor-vehicle trim can be compared with plastic...

Product tampering examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Product tampering is when a commercial product is intentionally distorted to harm someone or for extortion purposes. Examples range from drug tampering in medical environments, food adulteration in supermarkets, and the combination of tampering...

Questioned documents examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Handwriting and Hand Printing Although not all handwriting is identifiable to a specific writer, the examination of handwriting characteristics can sometimes determine the origin or authenticity of questioned writing. Traits such as age,...

Ropes and cords examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A piece of rope or cord can be compared with a questioned rope or cord. The composition, construction, color, and diameter can be determined. If a tracer is present, the manufacturer can be determined. Questions concerning ropes and cords...

Safe insulation examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Safe insulation can be compared to a known source. Examinations of safe insulation can sometimes determine the manufacturer. Questions concerning safe insulation evidence should be directed to 703-632-7690. Follow the Evidence Submission...

Serial number examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Obliterated serial or identification numbers are often restorable including markings on metal, wood, plastic, and fiberglass. Comparisons can be made with suspect dies. Questions concerning serial number evidence should be directed to...

Shoeprint and tire tread examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Shoeprint or tire tread impressions are routinely left at crime scenes. These impressions are retained on surfaces in two- and three-dimensional forms. Almost all impressions, including partial impressions, have value for forensic comparisons....

Soil examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Soil examinations can determine whether soils share a common origin by comparing color, texture, and composition. Questions concerning soil evidence should be directed to 703-632-7690. Follow the Evidence Submission directions including...

Tape examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(tape evidence)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Tape composition, construction, and color can be compared with known sources. Comparisons can be made with the torn end of tape and a suspect roll of tape. The Laboratory will examine duct, vinyl electrical, and packaging tapes but will...

Toolmark examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Toolmarks Tools can bear unique microscopic characteristics due to manufacturing processes and use. These characteristics can be transferred to surfaces that contacted the tools. Evidence toolmarks can be compared to recovered tools. In...

Toxicology examinations.(Evidence Examinations)
January 1, 2003... Toxicology examinations can disclose the presence of drugs and poisons in biological specimens and food products. The examinations can determine the circumstances surrounding drug- or poison-related homicides, suicides, and accidents. ...

Video examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Authenticity Authenticity examinations are conducted to determine whether video recordings are original, continuous, unaltered, and consistent with the operation of the recording device used to make the recording. Enhancement ...

Weapons of mass destruction examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A weapon of mass destruction is typically associated with nuclear and/or radiological, biological, or chemical agents; however, it may also be an explosive. Weapons of mass destruction are designed to cause a large amount of destruction or...

Wood examinations.(Evidence Examinations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Wood examinations can match sides, ends, and fractures; can determine wood species; and can compare wood particles found on clothing, vehicles, and other objects with wood from the crime scene. Questions concerning wood evidence should be...

Crime scene safety.(familiarity of the hazards, safety precautions, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment)
January 1, 2003... Personnel have the ultimate responsibility to recognize chemical, biological, and physical hazards when processing a crime scene. However, it is the responsibility of each agency responding to and providing support at the crime scene to develop...

Crime scene search.(instructions)
January 1, 2003... Suspected or confirmed weapons of mass destruction (nuclear and/or radiological, biological, chemical, or explosive agents) crime scenes should only be handled by qualified personnel. Upon notification or suspicion of a possible weapon of mass...