Firearm and Toolmark Examination. 1-

Catalog description

Students explore the various types of hand tools and the traces they leave during activities investigated in a forensic setting. Emphasis is given to firearms and, specifically, the study of marks — impressions and striations — typically recovered from spent bullets and cartridges. The anatomy and function of various types of firearms and ammunition are discussed, as well as the concepts of internal, external, and terminal ballistics. The use of traditional microscopical examinations and 3D imaging methods in comparative examinations is shown. The course also traces the concepts of evidence interpretation, from the historical “theory of identification” adopted by the Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) to probabilistic evaluations, decision theory, and reporting of findings. Methods for detecting and characterizing gunshot residue, as well as for distance estimation, are also covered. Finally, elements of shooting reconstructions such as bullet trajectories, impacts, and ricochets are discussed. Variable Credit (1-3). Course Equivalent: FORS 5114.