Scientific Working Group for Materials Analysis (SWGMAT) Fiber Subgroup A FORENSIC FIBER EXAMINER TRAINING PROGRAM Dedicated to the memory of Mike Grieve, a golden thread in the tapestry of our lives. Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory Divsion 2501 Investigation Parkway Quantico, VA 22135 MAY 2004 Version Scientific Working Group for Materials Analysis (SWGMAT) Fiber Subgroup Participants Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory Montana Department of Justice New Iberia, LA Forensic Science Division Bundeskriminalamt National Institute of Standards and Technology Kriminaltechnisches Institut, Germany Office of Law Enforcement Standards Centre of Forensic Sciences New Hampshire Department of Public Safety Toronto, Canada State Police Forensic Laboratory Federal Bureau of Investigation New York State Police Laboratory Division Crime Laboratory Forensic Science Service Oregon State Police London Laboratory, England Forensic Laboratory Honolulu Police Department Royal Canadian Mounted Police Scientific Investigation Section Forensic Laboratories, Halifax Illinois State Police San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Science Command Regional Crime Laboratory Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Texas Department of Public Safety Scientific Services Bureau Crime Laboratory McCrone Associates, Inc. Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Chicago, IL Division of Forensic Science Microtrace Washington State Patrol Elgin, IL Crime Laboratory Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension West Virginia University Forensic Science Laboratory Forensic Science Initiative Mississippi Department of Public Safety Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory Crime Laboratory Madison, WI These guidelines were affirmed by SWGMAT vote May 2004. i A FORENSIC FIBER EXAMINER TRAINING PROGRAM TABLE OF CONTENTS TOPIC PAGE Participants and Affirmation i Chapter 1 Introduction 7 Scope of Training Program Educational Prerequisites Training Program Objectives Training Steps and Schedule Responsibilities Competency Evaluation Chapter 2 User’s Guide 11 Training Step/Record Keeping Task Descriptions Record of Practical Exercise Completion Record of Quiz Completion Record of Examination Completion Record of Observed Court Testimony Record of Supervised Casework Record of Mock Trial Evaluation Training Program Critique Certification of Competency Chapter 3 Introduction to Fibers and Textiles 27 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Competency Evaluation Chapter 4 Fiber Transfer and Persistence 28 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Competency Evaluation Chapter 5 Casework Familiarization/Search and Recovery 29 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Page 2 of 66 TOPIC PAGE Chapter 6 Microscopy Review 33 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Practical Examination A Chapter 7 Fiber Examinations/Preliminary Observations 35 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 8 Identification of Vegetable Fibers 37 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 9 Identification of Animal Textile Fibers 39 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 10 Identification of Inorganic Fibers 41 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercise Competency Evaluation Page 3 of 66 TOPIC PAGE Chapter 11 Manufactured Fiber Examination - Optical Properties 43 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 12 Manufactured Fiber Examination - Cross Sections 45 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 13 Manufactured Fiber Examination - Solubility 47 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 14 Manufactured Fiber Examination - Thermal Microscopy 48 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Practical Examination B Chapter 15 Manufactured Fiber Examination - Infrared Spectroscopy 50 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Page 4 of 66 TOPIC PAGE Chapter 16 Fiber Examination - Comparison Microscopy 52 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Practical Examination C Chapter 17 Fiber Examination - Fluorescence Microscopy 54 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 18 Fiber Examination - UV/VIS Microspectrophotometry 56 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 19 Fiber Examination - Dye Analysis/TLC 58 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Practical Examination D Chapter 20 Fiber Examination - Other Techniques 60 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Competency Evaluation Page 5 of 66 TOPIC PAGE Chapter 21 Textile Examinations 61 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Chapter 22 Cordage Examinations 63 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check Lists Reading Assignments Basic Skills Practical Exercises Competency Evaluation Practical Examination E Chapter 23 Interpretation and Presentation 65 General Discussion Objectives Training Steps and Check List Reading Assignments Interpretive Exercises Competency Evaluation Supervised Casework Mock Trial Court Written Examination Appendix I Reading Assignments (pages 1 - 24) Appendix II Practical Exercises (pages 1 - 128) Page 6 of 66 Chapter 1 Introduction Scope of Training Program 1. This training program manual is intended as a trainer’s and trainee’s guide through the training process. It contains pertinent assignments and exercises to be distributed to the trainee as required. Literature and sources of information other than those listed should also be considered. As time and monetary resources permit, trainees should be provided with appropriate additional training experiences such as off-site academic courses and exposure to industrial manufacturing and analysis of materials. This manual is designed in a modular format to be used as the basis for individual lesson plans, student orientation, training program monitoring and evaluation. It may also be used to record the trainee’s progress, and prepare the trainee for assigned projects and examinations. 2. It is the intent of the training program to provide a foundation of theoretical knowledge and basic practical skills for a trainee to become a fully qualified analyst capable of making appropriate analytical decisions, competent examinations, and proper interpretations of the analytical results. The modules cover the topics that should be included in a forensic fiber examiner training program. In some instances, modules or topics may include methods and techniques, or alternative methods and techniques which are not currently employed in the laboratory, or which may be considered antiquated. For those instances, while the trainee may not gain practical skills, the trainee is expected to gain the theoretical knowledge about the alternative methods, their limitations, and/or their appropriate application. 3. Considering the overall possibilities, fibrous trace evidence may originate from many sources (e.g. textiles, cordage, building materials). Several fiber classification schemes exist that are utilized by forensic scientists, based largely on fiber production methods and end uses. It is imperative that the trainee and trainer understand the scope and organization of this training program before commencing. The orientation and the emphasis of this training program is on fibers as used in textiles and textile products. This training program utilizes the general classification scheme of natural versus manufactured fibers, and is further organized around the concepts of how fibers and textiles are identified and compared. Educational Requirements The minimum academic level for a fiber trainee is a BA/BS degree in a natural or applied science. Trainees are expected to have a good theoretical background in pertinent subjects and have successfully completed the following undergraduate or graduate courses: A. one year (or equivalent) of General Chemistry with laboratory, B. one year (or equivalent) of Organic Chemistry with laboratory, and C. General Biology with laboratory. If the following is not available at the undergraduate or graduate level, then completion through structured course work is required: A. analytical/instrumental analysis, B.