l""'--:--~""'" If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. l i I U.S. Department of Justi~ ~ Federal Bureau of Investigation HANDBOOK OF Office of the Director FORENSIC SCIENCE Washington. D.C. 20535 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Each day the modern crime laboratory attempts to discover new techniques of applying recent technological and scientific developments to aid the on-the-scene invest:igator in solving crime. The Handbook of Forensic Science se'eksto f~~iliarize the investigator with these techniques and to makelaboratory. known the capabilities and the limitation~ of the: crime The value of properly collected physical evidence U.S. Department of Justl.ce ex~.unined by trained scientists in the crime laboratory cannot National Institute of Justice besystem. overestimated. It is a vital element in ,our criminal justice ced exa"Uv as received from the This document has bee~ ~ep;?dl\ Points~o{ view or opinions stat~d erson 0' organization ongma 109 I. thors and do not necessarily in this document are tho.s.e of the ~~es of the National Institute of -""resent10t"~ the official posItion or po I I At crime scenes every law enforcement officer shares Justice. the responsibility of collecting as much pertinent physical Permission to reproduce ....."l";~ c....,....,.-..~n~ material has been evidence as possible. The objective of the handbook is to granted by. • /Federal Bureau of Invest- make available to law enforcement personnel a guide to legally PUbll.c :oamaln . /US Dept of Just.::.:l._c_e__ accepted and practical procedures for collecting, preserving l.gatl.on • I and nandling physical evidence. It contains suggestions and 10 Ihe National Criminal Justice Reference Selvice (NCJRS). enforcement.is offered as a training aid for those in professional law F rther reoroduction outside. of the NCJRS system requires permis- Si~n of the ~ owner. J It is hoped that this handbook will promote maximum use of physical evidence in our criminal justice system and encourage greater use of the crime laboratory to help solve today's law enforcement challenges. Director Federal Bureau of Investigation REVISED MARCH, 1984 I TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I PAGE f PART I "[nt.roduction • INTRODUCTION . • • u • 1 Services of the FBI Identification Division • • Services of the FBI Laboratory and . 3 DEFINITIONS OF "EVIDENCE Technical Services Divisions • . 5 Availability of Services • • • • • • • c. • • (1) That which is legally submi.tted to a competent tribunal 7 as a means of ascertaining the truth of any alleged matter P1LR.T II Crime Scene Search of fact under investigation before it. .. 9 Bombing Crime Scene • • • . (2) Anything which a suspect leaves ata crime scene or takes . 13 from the scelle or which may be otherwise connected with PAR'!' III FBI Technical Services Division, the crime. Engineering Section • • • • • • • . 17 Terminology PART IV FBI Identification Division . 20 "Physical," "real," "tangible," "laboratory," and "latent" are all Latent Fingerprint Section adjectives to describe the types of evidence which the FBI . 24 Laboratory and Identification Divisions examine. PART V FBI Laboratory Division . 30 PURPOSE OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Serology Examinations • • • • • • • • • • Microscopic Examinations • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 30 A. Aids in the solution of the case because it can: Chemical Examinations • • . • •• • • 37 Mineralogy Examinations • • • • • • 40 (1) Develop M.O.'s or show similar M.O.'s. Firearms Identification • • • • • • • • • . 45 52 "' Toolmark Identification • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • (2) Develop or ident.ify suspects. Metallurgy Examinations • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 60 Instrumental Analysis Examinations • • • 64 (3) Prove or disprove an alibi. Explosive Examinations " • • • • • • • • • . • • •. 68 73 (4) Connect ~or eliminate suspects. Document Examinations • • • • • • • • • • • • • ti • • Photographic Examinations • • • • • • • • 75 Shoe Print & Tire Tread Examinations '" 84 (5) Identify loot or contraband. Clandestine Business Records Analysis • • • • . 86 90 lead~. Linguistic Examinations • • • • • • • 0 (6) Provide Radiation Hazards • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . 93 94 B. Proves an element of the offense, for example: PART VI Collection and Preservation of Physical Evidence 99 (1) Safe insulation, glass or building materials on suspect's Requesting Laboratory Assistance • • • • • • • • • • clothing may prove entry. Shipment of Evidence • • • • • • 101 Sample Request for Examination • • • • • .• .• .• .• . 103 (2) Stomach contents, bullets, residue at scene of fire, Sample FBI Latent Fingerprint Report " • • • • • • 105 semen, blood, toolmarks may all prove elements of certain Sample FBI Laboratory Report • • • • • • • • • • 107 offenses. Handling of Hazardous Materials • • • • • • • • • • • 109 Collection, Shipment, Identification and III (3) Safe insulation on tools may be sufficient to prove violation of possession of burglary tools statutes. Packaging Charts • 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Proper Sealing of Evidence • • • • • " • • • • • 112 134 1 II f. J",f r- f ! 1 SERVICES OF FBI IDENTIFICATION DIVISION I c. Proves theory of a case, for example: A. Largest collection of fingerprint ldentification data in the (1) Footprints may shm'l how many were at scene. world available to law enforcement agencies. ~ (2) Auto paint on clothing may show that a person was hit by B. Will furnish standard forms, such as fingerprint cards, for car instead of otherwise injured" submitting identification data. NATURE OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE C. Search of fingerprints: For the most part, physical evidence falls into two classifications: (1) Arrest cards. Evidence with Individual Identifying Characteristics (2) Application cards (taken in compliance with Federal and state statutes). This evidence can be positively identified as having come from a specific source or person if sufficient identifying characteristics, {3) Deceased and amnesia victims. l or sufficient microscopic or accidental markings are present. (Examples are: fingerprints, handwriting, bullets, toolmarks, shoe (4) International exchange of fingerprint data. prints, pieces of glass where the broken edges can be matched, and wood where broken/cut surfaces can be matched.) D. Name checks to locate identification records. Evidence with Class Characteristics Only E. Fugitive program: This evidence, no matter how thoroughly examined, can only be placed (1) Wanted notices placed on fingerprint cards for law into a class. A definite identification as to its source can never enforcement agencies. be made since there is the possibility of more than one source for the evidence found. (Examples are: soil, blood, hairs, fibers, (2) Records of fugitives furnished to agencies. single-layered paint from a safe or car, glass fragments too small to match broken edges, and toolmarks, shoe prints, or bullets, in F. Latent print examinations: those instances where the microscopic or accidental markings are insufficient for positive identification.) (1) Will examine original evidence, lifts and photographs. i ~,( It is desirable to have evidence that can be positively identified 1 - (2 ) Comparisons on cases made for indefinite period. f but the value of evidence with class chaI'acteristics only should J not be minimized. In cases involving evidence with class character­ (3) Examinations and comparisons by highly trained experts. istics only, the following are desirable: (4) Expeditious service available. (A) A preponderance of such evidence. (5) Technical assistance in special situations, such as (B) A preponderance of class characteristics within a single kidnaping, hijacking cases and airline disasters. item of evidence, such as pain~ with many layers all matching or soil with foreign matter such as paint chips, (6) Latent print testimony. odd seeds, and safe insulation. t ' I (7) No restriction on prior examination of latent material by t (C) Elimination specimens, such as soil from where a suspect I other fingerprint technicians. claims he/she was or where he/she claims a car was; soil from the surrounding areas to show that a variation does exist; and paint or other materials from a source mentioned in an alibi. ~. \ 3 2 '" ~ .. ~~ -III'-·~ ij i " I ;!; I;~ [1 G. Examination of fingers of deceased persons for possible SERVICES OF THE FBI LABORATORY AND THE TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION* identification. {1 ,A. ,< Capabilities in a wide range of forensic sciences: "" H. Reference files in Lat~nt Fingerprint Section: I (1) Document. (I) Single F'ingerprint File. {2} Scientific analysis. (2) National Unidentified Latent File. Ii ( (3) *Radio-engineering, electronics. I. Advanced Latent Fingerprint Schools. B. Examination by highly trained scientists. J. Disaster Squad: . C. Full range of scientific equipment available. (I) Long experience in major disasters. D. Expeditious service, if needed. (2) Quick, positive identification. E. Competent expert testimony. K. Supplies of literature on identification matters. ) F. Technical assistance in special situ~tions, such as kidnaping t cases, airline disasters, and photographic problems~ q. I Standard reference files and collections: ( l) Type~.']r iter standards. i (2) Automotive paint. ( 3 ) F irearrn,$ • , (4) Hairs and fibers. (5) Blood sera. (6) Safe insulation. (7) Shoe print. (8) Tire tread. (9) Watermark standcu:ds. (10) Safety paper standards. (11) Checkwriter standard$. (12) Office copier standar.ds. (13) National Motor Vehicle Certificate of Title File. , ... 4 5 r .. =-\>..,..-- ----.