Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

OSAC	Research	Needs Assessment Form

Title	of	research	need:

Keywords:

Submitting subcommittee(s): Date	Approved:

(If	SAC	review	identifies	additional	subcommittees,	add	them	to	the	box	above.)

Background	information:

1.	 Description	of	research	need:

2.	 Key	bibliographic	references	relating	to	this	research	need:

3a.	 In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	current	laboratory	capabilities?

Some	firearm	and	toolmark examiners	use	the	concept	of	Quantitative	Consecutive	Matching	Striae	as	a	

criteria	for	identification.		This	concept	is	based	on	empirical	data	(see	references),	and	comparisons	

conducted	on	comparison	microscopes.		Our	subcommittee	anticipates	a	shift	towards	the	use	of	virtual	

microscopy of	toolmarks	captured	using	3D	technology.		It	would	be	of	interest	to	know	if	the	QCMS	criteria	

withstands	this	new	technology	or	if	the	criteria	needs	to	be	adjusted.		

-Biasotti,	A.	A.,	"A	Statistical	Study	of	the	Individual	Characteristics	of	Fired	Bullets",	Journal	of	Forensic	Sciences,	Vol.

4(1),	January	1959,	pp.	34-50.

-Moran	,	B.,	Murdock	,	J.	The	Application	of	the	Scientific	Method	to	Firearm	and	Toolmark

Examination	AFTE	J.	Spring	2003;Vol	35(,	#2),	Spring	2003,	(Appendix	#2),:	234	– 240.

-Howitt	D.,	Tulleners	F.,	"A	Calculation	of	the	Theoretical	Significance	of	Matched	Bullets",	Journal	of	Forensic	Sciences,	

Volume	53,	Number	4,	July 2008,	Pp.868-875.

-Biasotti,	A.,	Murdock,	J.,	and	Moran,	B.	Chapter	35	“Firearms	and	Toolmark	Identification”,	pp.	641-730	in	Vol.	4,	

Modern	Scientific	Evidence:	The	Law	and	Science	of	Expert	Testimony,	2011-2012	Edition	(Faigman,	DL,	Blumenthal,	

JA,	Sanders,	J,	Chen,	EK,	Mnookin,	JK,	and	Murphy,	EE.),	Eagan,	MN:	Thompson-Reuters/West.

QCMS	criteria	has	withstood	decades	of	empirical	use	and	study.		This	may	not	be	the	case	if	the	

emerging	3D	capture	technology	has	better	resolution	and	visualization	capabilities.		It	would	be	

critical	to	know	if	the	current	QCMS	criteria	can	still	be	used	for	virtual	comparisons.		It	should	be	

noted,	that	with	this	technology,	newer	comparison	algorithms	are	likely	to	be	developed	in	

parallel.		This	may	result	in	new	criteria	for	identification	that	supplements	or	even	replaces the

QCMS	criteria.			

Effect	of	New	Technology	on Quantitative	Consecutive	Matching Striae	ID	Criteria

QCMS,	striae,	toolmarks,	firearms,	forensic	science

Firearms	and	Toolmarks 29Jan16
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

3b.		In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	understanding	of	the	scientific	basis	for	the	

subcommittee(s)?

3c.		In	what	ways	would	the	research	results	improve	services	to	the	criminal	justice	system?

4.		Status assessment	(I,	II,	III,	or	IV):		

This	research	need	has	been	identified	by	one	or	more	subcommittees	of	OSAC	and	is	being	provided	as	an	

informational	resource	to	the	community.

Major gap	

in	current	

knowledge

Minor gap	

in	current	

knowledge

No	or	limited

current	research	

is	being	

conducted

I III

Existing current	

research	is	being	

conducted

II IV

(see	3a)

(see	3a)

III
Version	1	/	Date	of	Issue:	10.29.15	/	Issuing	Authority:	Forensic	Science	Standards	Board	(FSSB)

// Approval	date:

(Approval	is	by	majority	vote	of	subcommittee.		Once	approved,	forward	to	SAC.)

1.		Does	the	SAC	agree	with	the	research	need?				Yes

2.		Does	the	SAC	agree	with	the	status assessment?				Yes ⃝

If	no,	what	is	the	status assessment	of	the	SAC:

Approval	date:

(Approval	is	by	majority	vote	of	SAC.		Once	approved,	forward	to	NIST	for	posting.)

2/9/16	via	Kavi	Ballot Subcommittee

SA

C

17-Mar-2016