Instructors: Stewart Mosher and Tom Hill Course length: 32 hours
In crimes scenes where blood has been shed, there is frequently valuable evidence that can assist in solving the crime and prosecuting the suspects. This evidence includes latent and patent footwear impressions, bare sole impressions and finger and palm impressions. There are also instances where a scene has been cleaned up. Through the use of specialized chemical processing techniques faint or non-visible blood evidence can be enhanced for optimal visualization. This can further be enhanced using Adobe Photoshop tools.
This course of instruction will focus on locating, documenting and chemically processing bloodstained evidence. Examples that will be covered are latent and patent footwear impressions and friction ridge detail. The segment on footwear will include the required photographic techniques in order for a footwear examiner to make a comparison to a suspect’s shoe.
Many times blood is transferred to dark or multicolored clothing or other types of physical evidence making it difficult if not impossible to see. The student will be shown examples how these stains can be visualized without the use of chemicals using Digital Imaging Enhancement Techniques and Adobe Photoshop.
This course will also have a segment on the different types of bloodstain patterns encountered at a scene and the actions that may have caused them. The following chemicals will be discussed and used by students: Leucocrystal Violet (LCV), Amido Black, Luminol and Bluestar Forensic.
Photography is an integral part of documenting chemically enhanced bloodstains. Students should bring with them a digital SLR camera mounted with 50mm or macro lens, off shoe flash and tripod that will allow 90 degree photography of floor surfaces. It is highly recommended that the student have a working knowledge and understanding of basic photography including depth-of-field, shutter speed, apertures, and ISO relationships.
