Physics and Pattern Evidence

Scientific Area Committee 

Chair: Melissa Gische, FBI 

IAI — July 2018 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pattern SAC Leadership 

• Officers 

• Chair: Melissa Gische, FBI Laboratory 

• Vice Chair: R. Austin Hicklin, Noblis 

• Executive Secretary: Thomas Busey, Indiana University, 

Bloomington 

• Subcommittee Chairs: 

• Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: Toby Wolson, Retired

(Miami-Dade Police Department) 

• Firearms and Toolmarks: Todd Weller, Weller Forensics 

• Footwear and Tire: Michael Gorn, FBI Laboratory 

• Forensic Document Examination: Gerry LaPorte, NIJ 

• Friction Ridge: Henry Swofford, Defense Forensic

Science Center 

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Pattern SAC Members and Liaisons 

• Members 

• David Baldwin, Special Technologies Laboratory, USDOE 

• Ted Burkes, Federal Bureau of Investigation 

• Lesley Hammer, Hammer Forensics 

• Paul Kish, Paul Erwin Kish Forensic Consultant & Associates 

• Hal Stern, University of California, Irvine 

• David Stoney, Stoney Forensic, Inc. 

• John Vanderkolk, Indiana State Police Laboratory Division 

• Ex-Officio Members 

• Liaison to Human Factors Committee: Rick Lempert, University of Michigan 

• Liaison to Legal Resource Committee: David Kaye, Pennsylvania State 

School of Law 

• Liaison to Quality Infrastructure Committee: Erin Henry, Oklahoma State 

Bureau of Investigation 

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Pattern SAC: Role 

• Provide direction and oversight for 5 subcommittees 

• Firearms & Toolmarks 

• Footwear and Tire 

• Friction Ridge 

• Questioned Documents 

• Bloodstain Pattern Analysis 

• Interface with the resource committees 

• Human Factors 

• Legal Resource 

• Quality Infrastructure 

• (OSAC-wide Forensic Statistics Task Group) 

• Communicate activities, progress, recommendations 

• Review and approve standards and guidelines 

• Coordinate research priorities 

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AAFS Standards Board (ASB) 

Physics and Pattern Evidence SAC subcommittees are using

the AAFS Standards Board (ASB) as the Standards 

Development Organization (SDO) for completed documents.

The ASB has three types of documents. 

• Standards (S) 

• Technical Reports (TR) 

• Best Practice Recommendations (BPR) 

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ASB
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SC Develops/Revises Document 

• BPA: Conclusion statements for bloodstain pattern 

identifications 

• BPA: Conclusion statements for BPA reconstructions 

• BPA: BPA taxonomy for use in classification of bloodstain 

patterns 

• BPA: Guidelines for a BPA Certification Program 

• BPA: Guidelines for Developing Standard Operating 

Procedures for Bloodstain Pattern Analysis 

• BPA: Guidelines for Proficiency Testing in Bloodstain 

Pattern Analysis 

• BPA: BPA process map 

• FR: ACE-V Process Map 

• FR: Examination Method 

• FR: Analysis 

• FR: Comparison/Evaluation 

• FR: Verification 

• FR: Technical Review 

• FR: Terminology 

• FR: AFIS Best Practices 

• FR: Conflict Resolution 

• FR: Consultation 

• FR: Reporting Results 

• FWT: Chemical Enhancements of Footwear and Tire Impressions 

• FWT: Detection of Footwear and Tire Track Evidence at Crime Scenes 

• FWT: Scope of Work for Footwear and Tire Examiners 

• FWT: Articulation of Conclusions in Footwear and Tire Report Writing and Testimony 

• FWT: Best Practice Recommendation for the Lifting of Footwear and Tire Impression Evidence 

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SC Develops/Revises Document 

• FDE: Standard Guide for Minimum Training Requirements for

Forensic Document Examiners (Standard Training Program for

Forensic Document Examiners)

• FDE: Standard Terminology Relating to The Examination of

Questioned Documents

• FDE: Standard for Source Conclusions

• FDE: Forensic Document Examination Bibliography

• FDE: Standard for Collection of Known Writing

• FDE: Standard for Initial Assessment of Questioned Document

Evidence

• FDE: Standard for the Examination of Writing Inks

• FDE: Non-destructive Examination of Paper

• FDE: Examination of Documents Produced with Liquid Ink Jet

Technology

• FDE: Examination of Documents Produced with Toner

Technology

• FDE: Examination of Typewritten Items

• FDE: Standard for the Examination of Rubber Stamp and

Stamped Impressions

• FDE: Standard for the Examination of Dry Seals and Dry Seal

Impressions

• FDE: Examination of Financial, Identification, and Other

Authorized Documents

• FDE: Standard for the Examination of Charred Documents

• FDE: Standard for the Examination of Liquid Soaked

• FATM: Standard Test Method for the Physical Examination

and Classification of Firearms

• FATM: Standard Test Method for Function/Operability Testing

of Firearms

• FATM: Virtual Microscopy

• FATM: Uncertainty for Trigger Pull Measurement

• FATM: Statistical Standards for Source Identification and

Related Quantities

• FATM: Minimum Requirements for an Examiner Training

Program

• FATM: Standard Range of Source Conclusions and Criteria for

Firearm and Toolmark Examinations

• FATM: Standard for Supporting Documentation of Source

Conclusions

• FATM: Expression of Source Conclusions

• FATM: Verification of Source Conclusions

• FATM: OSAC Subcommittee on Firearms and Toolmarks

Glossary

• FATM: Firearms Comparison Process Map

Documents

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ASB
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working with PSAC and RCs 

SDO-250: SAC/RCs provide comments 

• FATM: Standard Test Method for the Examination and Testing of Firearms 

SDO-300: SC comment adjudication/vote 

• FWT: Guide for the Casting of Footwear and Tire Impression Evidence at 

the Crime Scene 

• FWT: Forensic Documentation and Photography of Footwear and Tire 

Impressions at the Crime Scene 

• FDE: Standard for Examination of Handwritten Items 

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ASB
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At SDO (ASB): 

• BPA: Guidelines for Report Writing in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis 

• BPA: Guidelines for the Validation of New Procedures in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis 

• BPA: Guidelines for the Minimum Education and Training Requirements For Bloodstain

Pattern Analysts 

• BPA: Guidelines for a Quality Assurance Program in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis 

• FR: Guideline for the Articulation of the Decision-Making Process Leading to an Expert

Opinion of Source Identification in Friction Ridge Examinations 

• FR: Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Training 

• FR: Standard for Friction Ridge Examination Conclusions 

• FWT: Guideline for the Preparation of Test Impressions from Footwear and Tires 

• FWT: Proficiency Testing for Footwear and Tire Examinations 

• FWT: Minimum Qualifications and Training for Footwear and Tire Examiner 

• FWT: Terminology for Footwear and Tire Impressions 

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At SDO (ASB): 

• FDE: Scope of Expertise in Forensic Document Examination 

• FDE: Standard for Examination of Indented Writing 

• FDE: Standard for Examination of Alterations and Obliterations 

• FATM: Standard for Topography Comparison Software for Firearm and Toolmark 

Analysis 

• FATM: Standard for Implementation of 3D Technologies in Forensic Laboratories for 

Firearm and Toolmark Analysis 

• FATM: Standard for 3D Measurement Systems and Measurement Quality Control for 

Firearm and Toolmark Analysis 

• FATM: Standard for Barrel and Overall Length Measurements for Firearms, includes 

guidelines and example spreadsheets for calculating uncertainty 

• FATM: Minimum Education Requirements for Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Trainees 

• FATM: Standard Guideline/Best Practice for the Safe Handling of Firearms and 

Ammunition 

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ASB
 

 

 

OSAC Registry Approval 

• BPA: ASB Technical Report 033, Terms and Definitions in 

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, First Edition, 2017 

(https://asb.aafs.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/11/033_TR_e1_2017.pdf) 

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Other Work 

• Interdisciplinary Virtual Subcommittees 

• Foundations 

• Roadmaps 

• Review RC Technical Series Publications 

• Research Needs 

• Terminology and Lexicon 

• Process Maps 

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IAI Presentations 

Day Date Time SC Speaker

Wednesday August 1 1:00 PM Friction Ridge Henry Swofford 

Thursday August 2 11:05 AM Footwear and Tire Stephen Greene 

Friday August 3 3:00 PM Bloodstain Pattern Toby Wolson 

Analysis 

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Questions?

https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensicscience/organization-scientific-areacommittees-osac

Melissa Gische 

mrgische@fbi.gov 

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