BLOODSTAIN

PATTERN
ANALYSIS (BPA)
BLOODSTAIN PATTERN ANALYSIS
(BPA)
Bloodstain pattern analysis is the
interpretation of information presented by
bloodstain patterns.

It involves pattern recognition and

interpretation. The interpretation of the
information is aimed at supporting inferences
relating to actions that took place during an
event involving blood.
 Bloodstain Pattern
A bloodstain pattern is a physical,
geometric image created by blood
contacting a surface, or by a surface
contacting blood.

The geometric images of interest are

primarily those created once blood
leaves the body.
TYPES of Bloodstains depend
on the following:
 Velocity at which it was travelling;
 Distance travelled;
 Amount of blood;
 Angle of impact; and
 Type of target onto which it lands.
TYPES of Bloodstains pattern
 Single Drop;
 Impact Spatter;
 Cast-Off Stain;
 Transfer Bloodstains;
 Projected Pattern/Arterial Damage Stain
 Pool Stains;
 Expiration Stains
1. Single drop
blood drops that have fallen
vertically, whether it be from an
injured person or another object, and
landed onto another surface.

As a blood drop falls perpendicular to

a surface it maintains a spherical form
until impacting
Single drop
2. Impact Spatter
result of a forceful impact between
an object and wet blood, causing
the blood to break into smaller
droplets.
 A greater force will typically produce
smaller droplets, with the density of
blood drops decreasing moving
further away from the initial blood
source.
Types of Force Involved in
Bloodshed
Low velocity stains –
considered to be the result
of a normal gravitation
force or action, consisting
of a force or energy of 5
feet per second.
 Low Velocity
Gravitational pull up to 5
feet/sec.
Relatively large stains 4mm in
Medium velocity stains –
considered to be the result of a
force or energy in excess of 5 feet
per second and reaching no more
than 25 feet per second.

Majority of the spatter will range

between 1-4 mm in size. These types of
stains are typical of situations in which
blunt trauma is the cause of the bleeding
injuries
 Medium Velocity
Force of 5 to 25 feet/sec.
Preponderant stain size 1 to 4mm in size
• High velocity stains – considered to be the
result of a force or energy in excess of 100
feet per second. Stains are considered to be
mist-like with majority of the stains ranging
1mm or less in size.
 High Velocity
Force of 100 feet/sec. and greater
Preponderant stain size 1mm in size and smaller
Mist like appearance
Impact Splatter

High Energy - Shotgun

 3. Cast-Off Stain
occur when
centrifugal force
causes blood drops to
fall from a bloodied
object in motion.
 3. Cast-Off Stain
 Ifan object is repeatedly moved, each
subsequent swing will result in less cast-off
as less blood remains on the object.
Bloodstains produced in this fashion can
be particularly difficult to interpret as
there is a great deal of possible variation
in patterns produced. However
depending on the nature of the motion of
the bloodied object, cast-off blood will at
least produce relatively linear stains.
3. Cast-Off Stain
4. Transfer Bloodstains
Transfer or contact stains
result when a bloodied
surface comes into contact
with another surface,
transferring blood to that
secondary target.
4. Transfer Bloodstains
The study of this type of
bloodstain can prove
particularly beneficial in
establishing a sequence of
events at the incident scene
and tracing the movement of
objects or individuals.
swipe patterns on the wall, and
by the foot.
wipe through the blood with the feathering
of the stain, and the swipe to the left.
Wipe: Notice the remaining skeleton of the
original stain. The “feathering” out of the
swipe indicates direction.
Wipe: A little more difficult to tell. It almost
looks like a swipe.
This was made with a brush.
contact pattern from a shoe at the
scene of an assault.
5. Projected Pattern/Arterial
Damage Stain
Thistype of bloodstain
results from the discharge of
pressurised blood onto a
target surface, for instance
the ejection of blood from
a punctured artery.
5. Projected Pattern/Arterial
Damage Stain
 Areas of the body in which wounding may
cause arterial bloodstains:
 the carotid artery;
 the radial artery in the wrist;
 the femoral artery in the inner thigh;
 the brachial artery in the arm;
 temporal regions of the head; and
 and the aorta (though damage to the aorta is
less likely due to increased protection of the
chest cavity).
Arterial Spurt and Free Flow
6. Pool Stains
 Pooling bloodstains refer to the
accumulation of blood on a particular
surface, generally from prolonged bleeding
from a wound or accumulation of arterial
blood. If a body is not present at the
incident scene, depending on the quantity
of blood present, it may even be possible
to roughly estimate whether the victim is
likely to be dead or alive based on how
much blood they have lost.
 drip
trail

Passive Pool Pattern – when blood

flows freely into a pool.
(Notice: trail, drip.)
7. Expiration Stains
Often associated with injury to the
respiratory tract, this type of bloodstain
is caused by blood being coughed or
otherwise expelled from the mouth.
The stains will often be slightly diluted
in appearance due to the additional
presence of saliva or mucous. When
blood is expirated from the mouth, it
will often produce a pattern of small,
round stains that could be likened to a
fine mist.
Expirated patterns
have the
appearance of
medium to low
velocity blood
spatter.

Expirated patterns
may also be found
with arterial spurt
patterns, and cast-
off patterns.
What can the investigator
expect from a BPA

 The positions of the victim, assailant, and

objects at the scene during the attack.

 The type of weapon that was used to cause

the spatter.

 The number of blows, shots, stabs, etc. that

occurred.
.
• The movement and direction of victim
and assailant, after bloodshed began.

• It may support or contradict

statements given by witnesses