Chapter 4

Examination and Interpretation of Patterns

for Reconstruction
Chapter Objectives
• Reconstruction and Individualization Patterns
• Documentation of Reconstruction Patterns
• Blood Spatter Patterns
• Glass Fracture Patterns
• Track and Trail Patterns
• Tire and Skid Mark Patterns
• Clothing and Article or Object Patterns
• Gunshot Residue Patterns
• Fire Burn Patterns
• Modus Operandi Patterns and Profiling
• Wound, Injury, and Damage Patterns
 I. Reconstruction and Individualization
Patterns
Reconstruction patterns:
• Reconstruction patterns are those that are primarily used to
reconstruct past events
• Examples include blood spatter, glass fractures, & fire burn
Individualization patterns:
• Individualization patterns are those which have the potential
to be associated with an item or person responsible for it
• Examples include: fingerprints, palm prints, footprints,
handwriting, and toolmark patterns
 II. Documentation of Reconstruction
Patterns
• Many reconstruction patterns cannot be collected or
transported to the laboratory- too large
• Many are part of the scene itself, and in some cases, the
integrity of the pattern is a function of the scene being
left undisturbed- fire
• In other cases, the pattern may no longer exist after the
scene is processed and released- fingerprint
• Thus thorough documentation of the pattern evidence is
important
 III. Blood Spatter Patterns
• A pattern of blood on a surface resulting from an event
which caused blood to exit the body
• Droplets of blood falling or projected through space
follow standard laws of physics
• Due to the physical properties of blood, predictable
patterns form when it falls or is projected through the air
• Blood spatter patterns are often classified as low or
medium velocity. High velocity only seen with
explosions.
 General Bloodstain Features-
Bloodstain pattern interpretation may uncover:
• The direction from which • The movement of a
blood originated bleeding individual at
• The angle at which a blood the crime scene
droplet struck a surface • The approximate
• The location or position of number of blows that
a victim at the time a struck a bleeding victim
bloody wound was • The approximate
inflicted location of an individual
delivering blows that
produced a bloodstain
pattern
 Low, Medium, and High Force Patterns
• Low-force patterns are formed
by blood falling onto a surface
influenced only by the force of
gravity
• Medium-force patterns are due to
moderate forces, forming droplet
stains which are smaller than those
from low-velocity
• High-force patterns are formed
as a result of extreme forces,
producing very small droplet stains
The action associated with producing impact
spatter.
 Angle of Incidence
• The shape of a blood spatter stain
reflects the angle at which it
impacted the surface
• A droplet falling at a right angle to
a surface forms a circular stain.
As the angle changes, the stains
become more elliptical
• The angle of incidence is the angle
at which a blood droplet impacts a
surface, measured with respect to
a imaginary line perpendicular to
that surface
 Various Blood Spatter Patterns
• Falling droplets – produce a blood pool if the source is stationary
or blood “trails” if the source is moving

• Contact patterns – result

from an object coming into direct
contact with a blood source

• Wipe patterns – created by a moving object

coming into contact with a bloody surface
 Various Blood Spatter Patterns
• Swipe patterns – created by a bloody
object in motion contacting another
surface
• Cast-off patterns – result when a
bloody object is swung through space
and throws off droplets onto a nearby
surface
• Arterial spurt patterns – created
when an artery is cut or severed
and a large volume of blood
strikes a nearby surface
The action associated with producing cast-off spatter.
 Various Blood Spatter Patterns
• Running patterns – created when blood of sufficient volume
strikes a vertical surface and gravity causes the excess blood
to run downwards
• Secondary spatter patterns – results when a blood drop falls
into a preexisting
pool of blood causing small droplets
to splash upwards, striking any
nearby surface
 Factors Affecting Blood Patterns and their
Interpretation
• Target surface absorbency, surface texture, and
blood volume are important variable in blood
pattern formation
• Other factors include force, distances, motion,
ambient temperature, and air currents
• Activities of various individuals at the scene (victim,
suspect, police etc.) can change the appearance of a
pattern and complicate the interpretation
Surface Effect on Bloodstain
A bloodstain from a single drop of blood that struck a glass
surface after falling 24 inches.
Surface Effect on Bloodstain
A bloodstain from a single drop of blood that struck a
cotton muslin sheet after falling 24 inches.
 IV. Glass Fracture Patterns
• Determining which side of glass surface was
struck by a projectile can be an issue in crime
scene reconstruction
• With an intact but fractured piece of glass, it
is often possible to discern a cone-shaped
pattern at the point of impact
• The smaller end of the cone is on the side to
which the force was applied (the “entry”
side)
 Radial & Tangential Fracture Lines
• Glass breakage causes both radial and tangential
fracture lines to form
• Tangential fracture lines appear to encircle the point
of impact
• Radial fracture
lines appear to
radiate outward
from the point
of impact
 Radial & Tangential Fracture Lines
• Both radial and tangential fracture lines stop at any
preexisting fracture lines and therefore can be used to
determine the order (sequence) of multiple force events
 V. Track and Trail Patterns-Drag
• Track and trail patterns can be formed by footwear, bare feet,
or from dragging a body or object
• Patterns may be made from blood or dirt, or an impression in
soft surfaces such as mud or snow
• The patterns help to show:
– The number of people at a scene
– Their movements
– Where they went
– The type of footwear, if any
 VI. Tire and Skid Mark Patterns
• Tire and skid patterns are used to reconstruct vehicle
accidents
• Tire patterns show: the number, the location, the
direction of movement and the action of a vehicle or
vehicles at the crime scene
• The length of a skid mark can help determine the
speed of a vehicle at the time the brakes were
applied
VII. Clothing and Article or Object Patterns

• Clothing scattered about a scene or furniture out of

place can provide indications of a struggle, the forces
involved, or evidence of ransacking
• Clothing out of place or damaged on a victim may
give indications of an assault or sexual assault
• Cuts, tears, or damage to clothing articles may help
to determine the type of force, weapon, or MO
involved
 VIII. Gunshot Residue Patterns
• Gunshot residue (GSR) is produced when a firearm is
discharged
• GSR consists of powder particles, primer residue,
traces of metals, and dirt & debris from the barrel
• GSR is deposited on the hands of the shooter and on
nearby surfaces
• GSR particles are quite small and do not travel great
distances
 VIII. Gunshot Residue Patterns
• GSR patterns are gray to black in color and may be
visible without enhancement (on white or light-
colored surfaces) or require chemical or
photographic
enhancement
(on colored
surfaces)
 VIII. Gunshot Residue Patterns
• The GSR pattern formed on the target surface can
help in the estimation of muzzle to target distance
• To estimate the muzzle to target distance, a series of
test firings are done using the same weapon and
ammunition as the ones thought to have been used
• The test patterns are then compared to the scene
patterns to make an estimate of shooting distance
 IX. Projectile Trajectory Patterns
• Ballistics is the science of projectiles in flight
• Reconstruction of the projectiles trajectory (flight path) from
the muzzle to the target can be used to estimate
the position
of the shooter
 X. Fire Burn Patterns
• Burn patterns can be helpful in reconstructing a fire
• A “V” shaped pattern often points to the origin of the fire
• Smoke stains show the pathway traveled by the fire
• Material melt patterns
provide information about
the temperature of the fire
XI. Modus Operandi Patterns and Other Patterns

• Modus operandi are the habits followed by a repeat offender

in committing crimes
• Criminal ‘profiling’ is based on the detailed analysis of
numerous repeat offender cases to construct a “profile” of an
unidentified serial offender
• ‘Profiling’ does not identify a specific person, rather, a
category of possible individuals
• ‘Profiling’ can be an aid for investigators, focusing the
direction of the investigation and eliminating possible
suspects
 X. Wound, Injury, or Damage Patterns

• Wound and injury patterns refer to evidence on the

human body
• The pattern evidence helps a pathologist determine
whether the wounds and injuries observed are
consistent with specific events (e.g. gunshot, blunt
force, cutting)
• Wound and injury patterns must be carefully
considered in any reconstruction of a death case
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 X. Wound, Injury, or Damage Patterns

• Damage patterns often refer to patterns seen

on clothing (e.g. bullet holes, cut marks)
• Helpful in the reconstruction of crime scene
events and corroborating statements made by
victims or suspects