Image matching of firearm fingerprints

A spent cartridge case exhibits characteristic markings (firearm fingerprint) that can be used to identify the type and possibly make of weapon in which the cartridge was fired. This report details research into the use of discriminant analysis for the purpose of matching spent rim-fire cartridge cases to specific make and model firearms. The discrimination and classification are based on several scalar shape parameters for the two-dimensional silhouette of the firing pin (FP) impression-- shape factor calculated from the second order moment of inertia, G factor calculated from the distance transform, and the P2A factor- as well as the distance between the centre of the cartridge case and the centroid of the FP impression, and the orientation of the principal centroidal axes associated with the FP impression. Classification results for two case studies are detailed: (i) 3 different make/model weapons producing different shaped FP impressions, and (ii) 5 different make/model weapons each producing a rectangular FP impression

Correlation of distance and damage in a ballistic setting

Forensic Investigation is a discipline which relies on various fields in order to be able to reconstruct an incident. Forensic Ballistics focuses upon the mechanics of projectile launch, flight and the effects of the projectile when impacting a target as well as firearms and ammunition. One of the most common evidence types in firearms related events is Gun Shot Residue (GSR), where typical analysis methods involves chemical confirmatory tests. Therefore, the fields traditionally associated with forensic ballistics are chemistry and physics, however there are various other scientific fields which could potentially further knowledge in this area such as radiography and computational science. Arguably one of the most important considerations within Forensic Ballistics is the ability to accurately reconstruct an incident. Currently there is limited literature aimed at understanding GSR spread at distances above 15 metres, which is a limitation for the criminal justice system (chapter 1). This work aims to further this knowledge by gaining an understanding of GSR spread at various distances, both short and long range (chapter 4), whilst combining this with Gun Shot Wound (GSW) damage using radiography (chapter 3). The data obtained will then be used for computational modelling with the aim of predicting shooter distance (chapter 5)

A critical review of the current state of forensic science knowledge and its integration in legal systems

Forensic science has a significant historical and contemporary relationship with the criminal justice system. It is a relationship between two disciplines whose origins stem from different backgrounds. It is trite that effective communication assist in resolving underlying problems in any given context. However, a lack of communication continues to characterise the intersection between law and science. As recently as 2019, a six-part symposium on the use of forensic science in the criminal justice system again posed the question on how the justice system could ensure the reliability of forensic science evidence presented during trials. As the law demands finality, science is always evolving and can never be considered finite or final. Legal systems do not always adapt to the nature of scientific knowledge, and are not willing to abandon finality when that scientific knowledge shifts. Advocacy plays an important role in the promotion of forensic science, particularly advocacy to the broader scientific community for financial support, much needed research and more testing. However, despite its important function, advocacy should not be conflated with science. The foundation of advocacy is a cause; whereas the foundation of science is fact. The objective of this research was to conduct a qualitative literature review of the field of forensic science; to identify gaps in the knowledge of forensic science and its integration in the criminal justice system. The literature review will provide researchers within the field of forensic science with suggested research topics requiring further examination and research. To achieve its objective, the study critically analysed the historical development of, and evaluated the use of forensic science evidence in legal systems generally, including its role regarding the admissibility or inadmissibility of the evidence in the courtroom. In conclusion, it was determined that the breadth of forensic scientific knowledge is comprehensive but scattered. The foundational underpinning of the four disciplines, discussed in this dissertation, has been put to the legal test on countless occasions. Some gaps still remain that require further research in order to strengthen the foundation of the disciplines. Human influence will always be present in examinations and interpretations and will lean towards subjective decision making.JurisprudenceD. Phil

Siege Archaeology of the English Civil Wars: Establishing a methodology to unlock the archaeology of attack and defence at early modern siege sites

It is a little over thirty years since modern battlefield studies began the serious investigation of unstratified archaeology for what it could tell us about historic battles. In those three decades the field has grown in breadth of time periods opened to investigation through new methodologies, and in the depth of investigation into the archaeology for what it can tell us about subjects such as weapon development, the historic terrain and evolving methods of warfare. Nevertheless, conflict archaeology for the early modern period has thus far failed to apply the methodological developments made in the study of historic battles to an exploration of siege actions. This thesis seeks to address this imbalance of focus upon battles, and by developing a methodology for the investigation of siege actions. To achieve this the research has focussed on defining the criteria of action for investigation, and examining existing siege site studies for what aspect of siege evidence are yet to be explored as part of a siege study, specifically the unstratified finds of the siege action, the impact scars on surviving structures, and the remnants of impacted projectiles. An overview and rapid assessment of the extent of the national resource of siege sites available for examination was compiled, selecting several candidates for specific investigation, and one candidate with suitable criteria to serve as a case study survey, Moreton Corbet Castle, Salop. Examination of impact scar evidence required a detailed investigation of scars across a multitude of sites, and the development of a low-cost recording and analytical methodology for these features. Questions arising from scar investigation drove a set of ballistic experiments for impacts against stone targets, identifying further research opportunities for developing understanding of bullet impacts on stone targets. The penultimate chapter focuses on the Moreton Corbet survey, which entailed a combined documentary and archaeological investigation, incorporating examination of impact scar evidence, metal detector survey, and an attempt to develop a methodology for the recovery of impacted bullet fragments. The outcome of the study showed that there are opportunities and benefits to conducting intensive surveys for interpreting small-scale siege locations, even where the contemporary documentary evidence is limited in comparison to battles of the same period. The same study also identifies risks to the archaeology at similar sites owing to the unprotected status of the archaeological scatter, the ignorance towards impact scars as archaeological features, and the difficulty with developing strategies towards management of heritage sites where existing protections of the archaeology prevent new data from being obtained

Forging a Stable Relationship?: Bridging the Law and Forensic Science Divide in the Academy

The marriage of law and science has most often been represented as discordant. While the law/science divide meme is hardly novel, concerns over the potentially deleterious coupling within the criminal justice system may have reached fever pitch. There is a growing chorus of disapproval addressed to ‘forensic science’, accompanied by the denigration of legal professionals for being unable or unwilling to forge a symbiotic relationship with forensic scientists. The 2009 National Academy of Sciences Report on forensic science heralds the latest call for greater collaboration between ‘law’ and ‘science’, particularly in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) yet little reaction has been apparent amid law and science faculties. To investigate the potential for interdisciplinary cooperation, the authors received funding for a project: ‘Lowering the Drawbridges: Forensic and Legal Education in the 21st Century’, hoping to stimulate both law and forensic science educators to seek mutually beneficial solutions to common educational problems and build vital connections in the academy. A workshop held in the UK, attended by academics and practitioners from scientific, policing, and legal backgrounds marked the commencement of the project. This paper outlines some of the workshop conclusions to elucidate areas of dissent and consensus, and where further dialogue is required, but aims to strike a note of optimism that the ‘cultural divide’ should not be taken to be so wide as to be beyond the legal and forensic science academy to bridge. The authors seek to demonstrate that legal and forensic science educators can work cooperatively to respond to critics and forge new paths in learning and teaching, creating an opportunity to take stock and enrich our discipline as well as answer critics. As Latham (2010:34) exhorts, we are not interested in turning lawyers into scientists and vice versa, but building a foundation upon which they can build during their professional lives: “Instead of melding the two cultures, we need to establish conditions of cooperation, mutual respect, and mutual reliance between them.” Law and forensic science educators should, and can assist with the building of a mutual understanding between forensic scientists and legal professionals, a significant step on the road to answering calls for the professions to minimise some of the risks associated with the use of forensic science in the criminal process. REFERENCES Latham, S.R. 2010, ‘Law between the cultures: C.P.Snow’s The Two Cultures and the problem of scientific illiteracy in law’ 32 Technology in Society, 31-34. KEYWORDS forensic science education legal education law/science divid

AN OBJECT-BASED MULTIMEDIA FORENSIC ANALYSIS TOOL

With the enormous increase in the use and volume of photographs and videos, multimedia-based digital evidence now plays an increasingly fundamental role in criminal investigations. However, with the increase, it is becoming time-consuming and costly for investigators to analyse content manually. Within the research community, focus on multimedia content has tended to be on highly specialised scenarios such as tattoo identification, number plate recognition, and child exploitation. An investigator’s ability to search multimedia data based on keywords (an approach that already exists within forensic tools for character-based evidence) could provide a simple and effective approach for identifying relevant imagery. This thesis proposes and demonstrates the value of using a multi-algorithmic approach via fusion to achieve the best image annotation performance. The results show that from existing systems, the highest average recall was achieved by Imagga with 53% while the proposed multi-algorithmic system achieved 77% across the select datasets. Subsequently, a novel Object-based Multimedia Forensic Analysis Tool (OM-FAT) architecture was proposed. The OM-FAT automates the identification and extraction of annotation-based evidence from multimedia content. Besides making multimedia data searchable, the OM-FAT system enables investigators to perform various forensic analyses (search using annotations, metadata, object matching, text similarity and geo-tracking) to help investigators understand the relationship between artefacts, thus reducing the time taken to perform an investigation and the investigator’s cognitive load. It will enable investigators to ask higher-level and more abstract questions of the data, then find answers to the essential questions in the investigation: what, who, why, how, when, and where. The research includes a detailed illustration of the architectural requirements, engines, and complete design of the system workflow, which represents a full case management system. To highlight the ease of use and demonstrate the system’s ability to correlate between multimedia, a prototype was developed. The prototype integrates the functionalities of the OM-FAT tool and demonstrates how the system would help digital investigators find pieces of evidence among a large number of images starting from the acquisition stage and ending in the reporting stage with less effort and in less time.The Higher Committee for Education Development in Iraq (HCED

Forensic Medicine

Forensic medicine is a continuously evolving science that is constantly being updated and improved, not only as a result of technological and scientific advances (which bring almost immediate repercussions) but also because of developments in the social and legal spheres. This book contains innovative perspectives and approaches to classic topics and problems in forensic medicine, offering reflections about the potential and limits of emerging areas in forensic expert research; it transmits the experience of some countries in the domain of cutting-edge expert intervention, and shows how research in other fields of knowledge may have very relevant implications for this practice