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Introduction To Bloodstain Pattern Analysis PDF
Introduction To Bloodstain Pattern Analysis PDF
Note: A hard copy of the article is available through the printed version of the SIAK-Journal
published by NWV (http://nwv.at).
Introduction to Bloodstain
Pattern Analysis
Bloodstain pattern analysis is a forensic discipline that deals with the physics of the
blood and assesses bloodstains left at crime scenes using visual pattern recognition. It is
used to shed light on various forensic matters including reconstruction of events,
differential diagnosis of homicide/suicide/accident and identifying areas with high
likelihood of offender movements for taking DNA samples. There are documented descrip
tions of bloodstain shapes at crime scenes that date back to past centuries. However, it
was the Samuel Sheppard case in the USA that prompted advances in this f ield. Blood
stain pattern analysis is employed worldwide by scientists, police off icials and medics
in an interdisciplinary manner. Both the blood itself and the surfaces on which the
bloodstains are found are important in the assessment of bloodstains. The umbrella
organisation for bloodstain pattern analysts is the International Association of Bloodstain
Pattern Analysts (IABPA), which offers various forms of membership. The name of the
SILKE BRODBECK,
method (bloodstain pattern analysis) is often abbreviated to BPA. appointed and sworn expert
at the Blutspureninstitut in
Usingen, Germany.
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patterns for centuries, the f irst systematic develop a research project based on the ca
study of bloodstains was published in se. Later, the International Association of
1895. Eduard Piotrowski from the Univer Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA) was
sity of Krakow published a study entitled founded and supported the continuing de
“On the formation, form, direction and velopment of the discipline.
spreading of blood stains resulting from
blunt trauma at the head” at the Univer 3. WHAT ARE THE BASIC
sity of Vienna. Piotrowski covered the PRINCIPLES OF BLOODSTAIN
corner of a room with sheets of white PATTERN ANALYSIS?
paper and observed and documented the Frequently, when liquids in flight are drawn
bloodstains that resulted from beating in everyday life, they are shown as having
rabbits to death. a teardrop shape. In reality, this is not the
One of his f indings was that bloodstains case. A liquid only takes the form of a drop
often appear with the second blow. Or in when it drops from an object. Once the
more modern phrasing, the condition for drop is airborn, it takes its minimal surface
the appearance of bloodstains is the exis area and moves in flight in a spherical
tence of a blood source. This observation shape. Various physical forces such as air
still holds true in most cases, although ex resistance and gravity act on it.
ceptions are known (Brodbeck 2009; Gravity, for example, is responsible for
Brodbeck 2010a). Before this assumption the appearance of a number of patterns. It
can be applied, it is necessary to verify causes the so-called flow patterns. Flow
whether the spatter was in fact caused by patterns are formed by the movement of
blows or not. In other words, a differential blood across a surface due to the influence
diagnosis as to the cause of the spatter of g ravity. This stain type is widely
must take place f irst. known, but there are also other ways in
Piotrowski’s work was followed by several which gravity acts on blood.
publications that shed light on individual Large pools of blood, for example on solid
aspects of bloodstains, but did not lead to surfaces, lead to serum separation. This
a systematic analysis. It later became clear means that the blood corpuscles sink
that it is possible to calculate the angle of because of their weight and the serum
impact of spatter and its area of conver remains on the surface as a transparent
gence using trigonometry. In the German liquid. Those unfamiliar with this pheno
speaking world, works were published that menon might think that liquid has been
identif ied the various stain patterns in a added to the blood. In reality, however, this
descriptive way, but without an underlying is a non-manipulated blood pool, in which
system. the blood was standing. Serious misunder
The second acknowledged origin of the standings can occur, such as the idea that
discipline is the “Samuel Sheppard case”, cleaning has taken place, whereas that is
which still remains one of the unsolved not substantiated at all by this type of stain.
murder cases in the USA. Samuel Shep A further diff iculty is that in some cases
pard was convicted of having murdered different causes can lead to stains that look
his wife Marilyn Sheppard and was ac alike. For this reason, thorough knowledge
quitted over ten years later on the grounds of physics and bloodstain pattern analysis,
of lack of evidence. P. L. Kirk from the and in particular of differential diagnoses,
University of California at Berkeley gave is essential in order to make an accurate
expert testimony in the trial and went on to assessment.
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2012 .SIAK- INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Source: © Epstein/Laber/Tayler1
Left – teardrop forms as blood drops from an object, right – airborne spherical form
It should also be noted that situations also an important reason for consulting a
can arise in which bystanders are more bloodstain pattern analysis specialist.
bloodstained than the perpetrator. This can
occur, for example, in cases when a weapon 4. CLASSIFICATION OF
is swung overhead in a group of several BLOODSTAINS
people. Such cases are rare, but they are There are various ways in which blood
stains can be classified. The classification
Source: © Blutspureninstitut
most commonly used today is that of S.
James, P. Kish and P. Sutton (James et al.
2005). It divides bloodstains into three
categories: passive/gravity, spatter and
altered.
The f irst category describes bloodstain
patterns that are formed under the influence
of gravity. Such bloodstains are often de
scribed as passive. This group includes con
tact stains, which result from contact be
tween two surfaces, of which at least one
has blood on it. Contact stains often provide
information about sequences of movement.
Flow patterns, pooling/saturation and drip
stains also belong to this category.
The second group is that of spatter. It in
cludes spatters that result from active
events such as a shot, as well as spatters
Multiple spatterfields of different origins with
volume-related flow patterns show the direction of that are caused by, for example, expiration
gravity or cast-off from objects that are swung.
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.SIAK- INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2012
Source: © Blutspureninstitut
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2012 .SIAK- INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Source: © Blutspureninstitut
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Source: © Blutspureninstitut
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2012 .SIAK- INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Both drops were created on both surfaces using the same physical mechanism. Left – damp cotton as surface,
right – paper as surface
1
The author wishes to thank Bart Epstein, Theory and Practice, Boca Raton et al.
den, Frankfurt a.M.
Terry Laber and Michael Tayler for their Kish, P./McDonnel, H. L. (1996). Absen Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2007). Arteries and
kind permission to use the images shown ce of evidence is not the evidence of ab Veins – a Plea for “Spurt Patterns”, IABPA
here. sence, Journal of Forensic Identif ication,
Newsletter (June), 4–14.
46 (2).
Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2010b). Die biologi
Sources of information Piotrowski, E. (1895). Über Entstehung,
schen und physikalischen Grundlagen der
Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2009). The role of the Form, Richtung und Ausbreitung der
Blutspurenmusteranalyse, StRR (1).
shoulder joint in the examination of cast-off Blutspuren nach Hiebwunden des Kop Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2010c). Die Termi
patterns, IABPA Newsletter (December). fes, Wien.
nologie der Blutspurenmusteranalyse,
Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2010a). The role of StRR (2).
the shoulder joint in the examination of Further Literature and Links Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2010d). Blutspuren
Cast-off Patterns – Goodbye to left and Bevel, T./Gardner, R. M. (2008). Blood musteranalytische Tatortarbeit und Gut
right handedness, IABPA Newsletter (Ju stain Pattern Analysis, Boca Raton et al. achtenerstellung StRR (3).
ne). Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2005). Postmortale Brodbeck, S. M. C. (2011). Blutspuren
James, S. H./Kish, P./Sutton, P. (2005). Computertomographie von Schussverlet musteranalyse, Usingen.
Principles of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis – zungen in Vergleich zu Obduktionsbefun James, S. H./Eckert, W. G. (1998). Inter
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