COURSE

COURSE OUTLINE
OUTLINE : CRI 311 FORENSIC CHEMISTRY

Course Coordinator Joner C Villauz RCrim. Ph. D Crim

Email jonervillaluz@gmail.com
Student Consultation Done online (LMS) or traditional contact

(calls, texts, emails)

Mobile 09758955805

Effectivity Date June 2020

Mode of Delivery Online Blended Delivery

Time Frame: 54 Hours

Requisite CRI 225

Student Workload Expected Self Directed Learning

Credits: 3 Units

Attendance Requirements: For online session: minimum of 95%

attendance; for 2 day on- campus/onsite
review: 100%

Course Outline Policies

Areas of Concern
Contact and Non - contact Hours
Details
This 3-unit course self-instructional manual is designed for blended
learning mode of instructional delivery, i.e., online sessions through the
LMS and the 2-days on campus/onsite face-to-face review and final
examination. The expected number of hours will be 54, including
review and examination days. The face to face sessions shall include
the summative assessment tasks (exams) since this course is crucial in
the criminology licensure examination for criminologists.

Assessment Task Submission
Submission of assessment tasks shall be on 3 rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th week
of the term. Indicate the name of the Course Facilitator, date of
submission, and name of the student. The document should be emailed
to the Course Facilitator. It is also expected that you already paid your
tuition and other fees before the submission of the assessment task. If
the assessment task is done in real-time through the features in the
Blackboard Learning Management System, the schedule shall be
arranged ahead of time by the Course Facilitator Since this course is
included in the criminology licensure examination for criminologists,

Penalties for Late Assignments/
Assessments
Return of Assignments/ Assessments
Assignment Re-submission
Grading System
Student Communication
you will be required to take the Multiple-Choice Question exam during
the oncampus/onsite sessions. This should be scheduled ahead of time
by the Course Facilitator.
Please note that academic dishonesty such as cheating and
commissioning other students or people to complete the task for
you have severe punishments (reprimand, warning, expulsion).
The score for assignments submitted after the designated time on the
due date, without an approved extension of time, will be reduced
by 5% of the possible maximum score each day or part day. However,
if the late submission of assignment has a valid reason, a letter of
explanation should be submitted and approved by the Course
Facilitator. If necessary, you will also be required to present/attach
evidence.
Assessment tasks will be returned to you two (2) weeks after the
submission. This will be returned by email or via Blackboard portal.
You should request in writing addressed to the Course Facilitator
his/her intention to resubmit an assessment task. The re-submission is
premised on the student’s failure to comply with the similarity index
and other reasonable grounds such as academic literacy standards or
other reasonable circumstances e.g. illness, accidents financial
constraints. Please note if ever re-submission of assignment is
granted the grade shall not be higher to the lowest grade given to
complied students.
All culled from BlackBoard sessions and traditional contact
Course discussions/exercises – 30%
1st formative assessment – 10%
2nd formative assessment – 10%
3rd formative assessment – 10%
All culled from on-campus/onsite sessions (TBA):
Final exam – 40%
Submission of the final grades shall follow the usual University system
and procedures.
Students are required to create a umindanao email account which is a
requirement to access the BlackBoard portal. Then, the Course
Facilitator shall enroll the students to have access to the materials and
resources of the course. All communication formats: chat, submission
of assessment tasks, requests etc. shall be through the portal and other
university recognized platforms.
You can also contact your teacher/Course Facilitator via traditional
contact or social media for communication. For related concerns, the
students can contact the Dean, Program Head, Library, and Guidance
Help Desks. For students who have not created their umindanao
account and LMS account, please contact the Course Facilitator or
Program Head for further instructions.
Students with Special Needs
Online Tutorial Registration
(if available and necessary)
Instructional Help Desk
Contact Details
Library Contact Details
Well-being Welfare Support Help Desk
Contact Details
Students with special needs shall communicate with the Course
Facilitator about the nature of his or her special needs. Depending on
the nature of the need, the Course Facilitator, with the approval of the
Program Head, may provide alternative assessment tasks or extension
of the deadline of submission of assessment tasks. However, the
alternative assessment tasks should still be in the service of achieving
the desired course learning outcomes.
You are required to undergo a tutorial on this course. Upon enrolment
and the registration of your name to Blackboard LMS, the Course
Coordinator will contact you on the a specific tutorial time for this
course by registering to ccje@umindanao.edu.ph. You will be
informed by the Course Coordinator on the exact schedule of the
tutorial. Please note that there is a deadline for enrollment.
Dean Dr. Carmelita B. Chavez
Email: carmelita_chavez@umindanao.edu.ph
ccje@umindanao.edu.ph
Asst. Dean Dr. Nestor C. Nabe
Email: nestor_nabe@umindanao.edu.ph
Program Head Dr. Roberto R. Magbojos
Email: Roberto_magbojos@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone (082)300-5456
Students with Special Needs Students shall communicate
with the course coordinator about the nature of his or her
special needs. Depending on the nature of the need, the
course coordinator with the approval of the program
coordinator may provide alternative assessment tasks or
extension of the deadline of submission of
assessment tasks. However, the alternative assessment
tasks should still be in the service of achieving the desired
course learning outcomes
HEAD - LIC BRIGIDA E. BACANI
Phone: (082)300-5456
Hotline No. 0951- 376- 6681
Email: library@umindanao.edu.ph
GSTC Head: Ronadora Diala
Email:
GSTC Facilitator:
Email:
Phone: (082)300-5456
Hotline: 0905 892 4090
 CF’s Voice: Hello Future criminologists in the academe! I want to formally welcome you to our class CRI
311 Forensic Chemistry ! I know many of you are still trying to pick out what field in Law Enforcement
you want to pursue as a career in the future, knowing that criminologists has numerous fields to venture
on; for the past semesters you tried to experience how it is like to become a criminologists, NOW! The
time has come! You will venture how it like is to become a criminologists !

CO: Before we go on becoming a criminologist, we have to be fully equipped to be able to do our job
with competence, hence in this course, we are going to explain the ways that crime impacts victims and
the various methods developed to assist victims in dealing with the effects of crime and with the
criminal justice agencies.

So, all set!

Let’s Begin!

Big Picture

Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO): At the end of the unit, you are expected to

Big Picture in Focus: ULOa Explain how forensic examination help the
possible solution of the crime

Metalanguage

The most essential terms relevant to the study of this course and to demonstrate ULOa
are operationally defined to establish a common frame of reference as to how the texts work in
the course. You will encounter these terms as we go through the study of course. Hence, to be
able to fully appreciate the topics presented in this course, unlocking the meaning of these terms
is crucial

Forensic Chemistry - Is define as that branch of Chemistry which deals with application of
chemical principles in the solution of crimes.
Forensic Medical Examination - is a careful and diligent examination looking for injuries and
taking samples that may be used as evidence in a police investigation and any subsequent
prosecution

Forensic investigation - is the gathering and analysis of all crime-related physical evidence in
order to come to a conclusion about a suspect.

Forensic science - is the application of science to criminal and civil laws, mainly on the criminal
side during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and
criminal procedure

Essential Knowledge

To perform the aforesaid big picture (unit learning outcomes) for the first three (3) weeks
of the course, you need to fully understand the following essential knowledge that will be laid
down in the succeeding pages. The topics presented in this section is taken from the approved
textbook of the course. Please note that you are not limited to exclusively refer to the
resources. Thus, you are expected to utilize other books, research articles and other
resources that are available in the university’s library e.g. e-library, search.proquest.com, etc.

Brief History of Forensic Chemistry

From Socrates, sentenced to drink hemlock in 399 B.C., to Russian mystic Grigori
Rasputin reputedly living despite ingesting ten times the fatal amount of cyanide in 1916, and
even fictional Sleeping Beauty, poisoning has been a popular way to bring an end to an adversary
in real and imagined stories for thousands of years.

Until 1840, poisoning was often thought to be a way to “get away with murder”, and it
worked because there were no visible signs of foul play. In that year, a French woman named
Marie Lafarge became the first person to be convicted of murder by poisoning thanks to new
methods for arsenic testing, and the field of forensic toxicology was born.

Poisons were employed by early Egyptians and ancient Greeks and Romans. Democritus
was probably the first chemist to study poisons, and he communicated some of his findings
to Hippocrates .
Poisons were used both for murder and as a means of execution; the philosopher Socrates was
condemned to death by drinking hemlock . Ancient Roman civilization had laws against poisoning
in 82 B.C.E. Before the development of systematic, scientific criminal investigation, guilt was
determined largely by circumstantial evidence and hearsay.
Arsenic was a popular poison in Roman times. It was referred to as inheritance powder in early
France. The Blandy trial of 1752 was the first instance of an actual chemical test for poison, and
the Marsh test, developed in 1836, was the first reliable analysis that could show scientifically
that arsenic was present in the body of a victim

1813 Mathiew Orfila, a Spaniard who became professor of medicinal/forensic chemistry at

University of Paris, published Traite des Poisons Tires des Regnes Mineral, Vegetal et Animal, ou
Toxicologie General l. Orfila is considered the father of modern toxicology.
He also made significant contributions to the development of tests for the presence of blood in
a forensic context and is credited as the first to attempt the use of a microscope in the assessment
of blood and semen stains
1836 James Marsh, an Scottish chemist, was the first to use toxicology (arsenic detection) in a
jury trial.
1851 Jean Servais Stas, a chemistry professor from Brussels, Belgium, was the first to successfully
identify vegetable poisons in body tissue.
1910 Edmund Locard, professor of forensic medicine at the University of Lyons, France,
established the first policecrimelaboratory.
1960 Lucas, in Canada, described the application of gas chromatography to the identification of
petroleum products in the forensic laboratory and discussed potential limitations in the brand
identity of gasoline.
1976 Zoro and Hadley in the United Kingdom first evaluated chromatograph-mass
spectrometry for forensic purposes
In 1835, Scotland Yard's Henry Goddard became the first person to use physical analysis to
connect a bullet to the murder weapon. Bullet examination became more precise in the 1920s,
when American physician Calvin Goddard created the comparison microscope to help determine
which bullets came from which shell casings. And in the 1970s, a team of scientists at the
Aerospace Corporation in California developed a method for detecting gunshot residue using
scanning electron microscopes.
1930, scientist Karl Landsteiner won the Nobel Prize for classifying human blood into its various
groups. His work paved the way for the future use of blood in criminal investigations. Other tests
were developed in the mid-1900s to analyze saliva, semen and other body fluids as well as to
make blood tests more precise.
With all of the new forensics techniques emerging in the early 20th century, law enforcement
discovered that it needed a specialized team to analyze evidence found at crime scenes.
To that end, Edmond Locard, a professor at the University of Lyons, set up the first police crime
laboratory in France in 1910. For his pioneering work in forensic criminology, Locard became
known as "the Sherlock Holmes of France.

August Vollmer, chief of the Los Angeles Police, established the first American police
crime laboratory in 1924. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was first founded in
1908, it didn't have its own forensic crime laboratory that wasn't set up until 1932.

The word forensic has its origin from the Latin word “forensis” which stands for a
forum.Forensic Science is basically used in tandem with any discipline that has associations with
the legal system. In a nutshell, forensic science is the application of scientific methods and
principles to questions of law.In layman’s terms, forensic science is a discipline used by a forensic
investigator to solve crimes.
History of Autopsy (Familiar with the word “mummification)
Egyptian civilization back in 3000 BC performed the first instance of an ‘autopsy They
performed the religious practice of the removal and examination of the internal organs of
humans after their death. Thus, they are the earliest civilization to perform an autopsy.
Interestingly, the first officially recorded autopsy was performed way back in 44 BC This
was when a Roman physician, Antistius, examined the slain body of Roman politician and general,
Julius Ceaser. The autopsy revealed that though stabbed 23 times, his death actually resulted
from one wound through this chest
Role of Forensic Chemist in the Scientific Investigation
A forensic Chemist, As a man of science, performs laboratory examination on physical evidence
submitted to the crime laboratory in order to expedite the investigation of a crime by the
investigating party. He or She has the following responsibilities:

Conduct qualitative and quantitative determination of abused drugs as well as volatile

substances.
Conducts chemical examination of explosives and/or explosive ingredients.
Conduct examination of paraffin cast and firearms to determine the presence of gunpowder
nitrates.
Conduct gunpowder examination on clothing for possible gunshot range.
Conducts chemico-toxicological examination of human internal organs, gastric contents, blood,
water, food sample and other substances.
Conducts examination of fake products in cases of unfair trade competition.
Conducts blood alcohol determination.
Examines urine samples and other body fluids for the presence of abused drugs.
Conducts researches related to cases being examined.
Testifies and gives expert opinion in court.
Gives lectures on Forensic Chemistry and chemical-toxicology to various schools, universities,
police training centers and investigating units.
Responds to queries of all investigating units and render expert opinion on matters related to
the application of chemical principles for the purpose of assisting investigators to develop
investigative leads.

Six Golden Rule in the practice of Forensic Chemistry

❖ Go slowly
❖ Be through
❖ Take Notes
❖ Consult others
❖ Use imagination
❖ Avoid complicated theories
Go slowly

Good work cannot be hurried, therefore, take all the time necessary to make the case
complete, no matter how urgent it may appear.
Be through

Make careful and minute examination of everything and do not be satisfied with a
quantitative analysis if a quantitative one is possible. It always [pays to do too much rather than
too little and it is difficult to foresee what will or will not be required in court.

Take Notes
Keep a full neat and clean record of everything seen and done

Consult others
Many cases will lead the expert into paths with which he is not familiar and when this
happens he should consult those who know better

Use imagination
An expert with a wide and uncontrollable imagination is considered as the most
dangerous creature. Though his being imaginative is sometimes useful, an expert witness does
not have to be solely imaginative, but he has to be skilled in the field of forensic Science. He
must bear witness within the limits of science.

Avoid complicated theories

The simplest explanation is fundamentally the right one. Interpretation of results is often
the most difficult part of the expert’s task that is why a wide knowledge and scientific experience
are the essential elements to obtain the right forensic examination results.
Importance of Preserving Evidence
It is important to preserve physical evidence that may include tissue and fluid samples,
evidence of violence, sheets, towels, clothing etc. You may choose to avoid washing, bathing,
urinating, etc. Because evidence of sexual assault can deteriorate quickly, you may choose to
seek a medical exam as soon as possible. Evidence collection should be completed within
anhours, but fluids, hair samples, and DNA can be collected for a long time thereafter. Even if
you have washed, evidence can often still be obtained.

Collection, proper documentation, preservation and submission of physical evidence to

forensic laboratories may provide key ingredients of any investigation. The crime scene is usually
the starting point of a criminal investigation. Through evidence located at the scene, suspects are
developed or eliminated, investigative leads are established, and theories concerning the crime
are substantiated or disproved. The initial responding officer or crime scene technician will be
prepared to collect, identify and package the evidence so that it will not be changed in form and
value. Maintenance of the chain of custody of the evidence is of paramount importance. Physical
evidence includes anything which is found at the crime scene which tends to assist in determining
the truth of a matter or provides proof of a fact.
This includes anything left at the scene by the suspect, or any instrument used to commit
the crime. The proper collection, preservation and documentation of physical evidence found at
the crime scene often are the deciding factors when a criminal case is brought before a judge. It
is imperative, therefore, that officers and crime scene technicians exercise proper care and follow
procedures during the processing of crime scenes in order to avoid changing the evidence in any
way and to prevent the contamination or destruction of items of evidence.
In the conduct of crime scene investigation for crimes of violence and other crimes, the
crime scene processing or the evidence collection, handling and transportation shall primarily be
conducted by the SOCO specialists of Crime Laboratory. However, in some instances the First
Responder or the Investigator-on case may have to collect evidence that might otherwise be
destroyed or contaminated if uncollected. In such cases, the collection should be properly
handled and documented. The following procedures are set as guide not only for the SOCO team
but may also apply to any crime scene investigator in the collection and handling of evidence.
The collection and submission of standard samples for comparison, however, must be
done by the Crime Laboratory.
.1 General Rules for the Collection and Preservation of Biological Materials
a. Use protective gloves.
1) If possible, avoid touching individual smears/traces. Remember that
gloves can entail a risk of contamination.
2) Change gloves after handling each kind of material and otherwise as
necessary.
3) Use disposable equipment for preliminary tests and collection of trace
evidence.
4) Cover surfaces where materials are to be placed with protective paper.
Keep victims‟ and suspects‟ clothes separate.
b. Avoid coughing or sneezing on evidence/materials.
c. Packaging of biological materials.
1) Use paper packaging for all biological materials or materials that are
soiled with biological matter. Although plastic bags are useful in many
cases, they cannot be recommended for routine use on account of
residual moisture.
2) Separate outer packages are to be used for trace evidence and for
clothes from persons involved.
3) Do not mix materials/samples from different people, for example
clothes, in the same parcel
 This includes anything left at the scene by the suspect, or any instrument used to commit
the crime. The proper collection, preservation and documentation of physical evidence found at
the crime scene often are the deciding factors when a criminal case is brought before a judge.
It is imperative, therefore, that officers and crime scene technicians exercise proper care
and follow procedures during the processing of crime scenes in order to avoid changing the
evidence in any way and to prevent the contamination or destruction of items of evidence.
4) Fold the opening of the bag twice and seal with tape. Envelopes should
also be sealed with tape.
d. Special precautions
1) Make an explicit note if a person from whom material has been collected
is suspected of having an infectious disease.
2) Prevent contamination by avoiding all contact between collected
evidence and clothes seized from people.
3) Packages containing collected materials must not be opened until the
examination in the laboratory is to commence. The only exception is when
moist or wet material must be dried out under normal room conditions.

Importance of Preserving Evidence

Why we need to protect the scene of the crime prevent unauthorized persons from
entering the crime scene or contaminating any evidence. prevent any damage or further
damage. maintain an accurate "scene log" to record the names and the times of everyone who
enters and/or leaves the scene.

In responding the crime incident are one of the essential events since collection and
preservation of any traces of evidence that may be possibly found at the scene of the crime is a
great important in any forensic crime investigation most specifically evidence which is considered
as fragile such as biological fluids, semen, saliva blood, firearms, and slugs that may possibly lost
or contaminated if may not be protected as early by the forensic investigator. Forensically sound
preservation of evidence can also easily be overlooked by an incident responder due to the rapid
and changing nature of the incident being investigated, which can potentially have a huge impact
on the effective of conducting forensic analysis and may lost potential legal position.

Forensic examination on Drug

As mention by comprehensive laws on drug of the country ( R.A. 9165 ), after the anti-
illegal drug operation made by the law enforcement agency all confiscated suspected drugs must
be immediately inventoried and transported to the nearest crime laboratory for forensic analysis
and examination, and the assigned forensic examiner is mandated to submit a his/her partial and
unofficial quantity and quality of substance of drug within twenty-four (24) hours.

Method of examination

There are two main types of tests used to determine whether an illegal drug is present in
a substance: presumptive tests and confirmatory tests. Presumptive tests are less precise and
indicate that an illegal substance may be present. Confirmatory tests provide a positive
identification of the substance in question.

Presumptive testing may be conducted in the field by law enforcement officers or in the
laboratory once the seized material is accepted. Confirmatory tests involve a battery of
instrumental tests using techniques such as Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) or
infrared spectroscopy that separate individual compounds in the substance and positively
identify the chemical signature of the illegal substance(s) within the material.

Presumptive testing - is usually colorimetric, meaning the test will indicate that the suspected
substance is present or not present by changing color. If the substance is present, the test kit will
turn one color, if not, it turns a different color. Presumptive testing by law enforcement is
typically followed up with laboratory tests that confirm with certainty the presence of the
suspected substance. Presumptive testing is also performed in the laboratory as part of the
analysis process.

Confirmatory testing - uses instrumental analysis to positively identify the contents of submitted
material. This typically requires a multi-step process to separate the individual compounds,
determine the chemical characteristics of the compounds, and compare them against reference
materials to make a positive identification. This is called qualitative analysis, and determines
what substances are present and if one of more of those substances is illegal.

The analyst may have an idea, based on information from presumptive tests or the
submitting agency, of what type of drug is contained in the sample. This information, as well as
the laboratory policies in place, will determine what tests the analyst will use. A typical battery
of tests will include separation techniques to separate the various compounds and spectroscopy
instruments to identify the chemical characteristics. Confirmatory tests, depending on the lab
requirements, may also include quantitative analysis of the sample to determine the amount, or
purity, of the illegal substance.

Forensic Analysis and examination of drugs

Color Tests for Dangerous Drugs Usage of Hand － made Simon reagent Kit

a. Take a small amount of the suspicious substance with a spatula

b. Place the substance in a glass tube
c. Add 1 or 2 drops of Solution 1 to the substance
d. Add further 1 or 2 drops of solution 2 and mix gently and It will show you a light pink.
e. Finally , add 1 or 2 drops of Solution 3.
Once the color change into a dark-blue or indigo blue immediately, it will become is positive.
If not, it will shows you a red color.
Judgment of methamphetamine , MDMA and sugar
methamphetamine , MDMA by SIMON
methamphetamine MDMA Sugar

Blue result positive Red Negative

Judgment of methamphetamine , MDMA and heroin by MARQUIS REAGENT

methamphetamine MDMA Heroin

Reddish Orange Purplish Black

Color Test （ Summary ）

Simon Reagent Marquis reagent

blue ( positive ）-Metha reddish orange - Metha

blue ( positive ）-MDMA purplish black MDMA

Negative - Heroin Purple - Heroin

Note: You must examine not only Simon reagent but also
marquis reagent..
Gunshot Residues

It is an all-too-common scenario: A person is found dead at a crime scene, the victim of a

gunshot wound. Whether it’s a cold-blooded robbery/homicide or crime of passion, investigators
must uncover the evidence. Basically, gunshot residue comes from the powder component of
bullet, elements from cartridge cases and gun barrel where the bullet passes.

Upon discharged of firearm, gunpowder residues (nitrates) may be deposited on a person

at close proximity, so the interpretations as to who discharged the firearm should be made with
caution.Gunpowder residue may be found on the skin or clothing of the person who discharged
the gun, on the entrance bullet hole of garment or wound of the victim, or on other target
materials at the scene.
Component of Gunshot Residue
The gun shot residue are compose of the:

Primer or lead residue are compose of the following:

Potassium Chlorate – 45%
Antimony Sulfide - 23%
Fulminate of Mercury- 32%
Gunpowder residue
Any various powder used in firearms as propellant charge. The inventor of gunpowder is
BERTHOLD SCHWARTZ, (real name is CONSTANTIN ANKLITZEN). A Franciscan monk in the town
of Freiburg in Germany. The Two Types of Gunpowder

Black Powder
Potassium Nitrate- 75%
Charcoal- 15%
Sulfur - 10%
Smokeless Powder
Nitrocellulose - 60%
Charcoal - 35%
Vaseline- 5%
Detection of Gunshot Residue

The following are common methods used by most crime laboratories to detect gunshot residue:
Paraffin test
Lead residue ( detection limit: up to 30 feet and always present on the opposite sides of the
penetrated target). (Messler and Armstrong, 1978). Gunpowder residue examination (detection
limit: highly variable up to 20cm, and up to 21 inches is common)
Other examinations
History of paraffin test/dermal nitrate or Diphenylamine test
Paraffin test was originated from Cuba when DR. Gonzalo Iturrios first used paraffin for
collecting gunpowder residues from discharged firearms. In 1933, Teodoro Gonzales of Criminal
Identification laboratory, Mexico City introduced the test in the United States.

In this test, the hands were coated with a layer of melted paraffin. After cooling, the casts
were removed and treated with Diphenylamine (5% DPA in 60% sulfuric).
Paraffin wax
Paraffin wax is a white, translucent, tasteless, odorless solid consisting of a mixture of
solid hydrocarbons of high molecular weight. It is insoluble in water and acids and soluble in
benzene, ligroin, warm alcohol, chloroform, turpentine, carbon disulfide, and olive oil.
Combustible, auto ignition temperature 473 F (245 degree C). The melted paraffin wax
penetrates the minute crevices of the skin upon application, thus, adhering if there are particles
present. When the casts are peeled, the burned and partially burned particles are extracted. A
person firing a gun will likely have the particles located above the thumb and forefingers since
these are the surfaces exposed to the gun.
False Positive Reaction
Smear of blue color or a conglomeration of blue specks on both dorsal and palm aspects
of the hand.
Gunshot Range (GSR) Determination

When a firearm is discharged, gunpowder residue may also be deposited on the clothing
of the victim. The size and density of the pattern of gunpowder residue found on the clothing are
the main factors considered in determining the approximate distance of the shooter to the
victim. As the distance to the victim increases, the size of pattern expands while density
decreases and vice-versa.
Distance Determination

The method of determining the distance between the firearm and the target. This is
usually based on the distance of the powder patterns or the spread of the shot pattern.
The investigator needs to establish the Importance of distance determination of the residue
impregnated to the victim in order to established the connection to self-defense pleas, In the
distinction murder and suicide. In ascertaining the gunshot range (GSR) the examiner should
note and observe the following:
Entrance and exit holes
Powder residue pattern (Burning, Scorching, Smudging, Tattooing – a black coarsely
eppered/scattered pattern)
Burning