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?

SEE	ALSO	ATTACHED	ADDENDUM	for	additional	details.

Current	limited	research	indicates	variability	in	the	way	blood	interacts	with textiles	in	particular	

fabrics,	affecting	resultant	bloodstain	appearance.	This	has	implications	for	interpreting	

bloodstains	on	clothing.	Past	research	indicates	the appearance	of bloodstains	can be	affected	by	

fabric	features	such	as	type	(synthetic	or	natural),	absorbency,	laundering,	chemical	treatments	and	

construction	(knitted	or	woven).	Further	research	is	needed	to	better	understand	how	blood	

interacts	with	these	fabric	properties	in	order	to	relate	the	visual	appearance	of	a	bloodstain	to	its	

mechanism	of	creation.

- Cho	Y	et	al.	Quantitative	bloodstain	analysis:	Differentiation	of	contact	transfer	patterns	versus	

spatter	patterns	on	fabric	via	microscopic	inspection.	Forensic	Science	International.	

2015;249:233-40.

- de	Castro	TC	et	al.	Systematic	investigation	of	drip	stains	on	apparel	fabrics:	The	effects	of	priorlaundering,	fibre	content	and	fabric	structure	on	final	stain	appearance.	Forensic	Science	

International.	2015;250:98-109.

- de	Castro	TC	et	al.	Interpreting	the	formation	of	bloodstains	on	selected	apparel	fabrics.	Int	J	Legal	

Med.	2013	Jan;127(1):251-8

- Miles	HF	et	al.	The	influence	of	fabric	surface	characteristics	on	satellite	bloodstain	morphology.	

Science	&	Justice.	2014;54(4):262-6.

Research	would	allow	the	analyst	to	understand	and	consider	the	limitations	associated	with	

bloodstains	on	textiles	examined	at	the	scene	or	in	the	laboratory.	This would	assist	in	the	

classification of	the	most probative	patterns or	bloodstains.	For	example,	the	ability	to	successfully	

distinguish	transfer	from	spatter	bloodstains	can	have	serious	implications	in	case	work.	

Interaction	of	Blood	and	Fabrics

Blood,	bloodstain	pattern	analysis,	textiles,	fabrics,	clothing

Bloodstain	Pattern	Analysis 01/29/16
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

The	research	would	provide	underpinning	scientific	data	that	will	further	the	understanding	of	

bloodstain	and	bloodstain	pattern	formation	on	textiles	such	as	clothing,	upholstery and	other	

fabrics.	The	majority	of	accepted	interpretation	practices	are	based	on	blood	interacting	with	nonporous	surfaces.	These	practices	do	not	necessarily	apply	to	certain	porous	surfaces	such	as	

textiles. Great	variability	exists	in	the	properties	of	textiles,	such	as	weave,	knit,	wettability,	

wicking	properties,	texture,	and	pigment.	These	properties influence	the	appearance	of	the	

resulting	bloodstains.	Other	fabric	conditions	such	as	extent	of	wear	(age	of	clothing),	influence	of	

washing,	and	surface	treatments	also	influence	resulting	bloodstains.	

A	better	understanding	of	the	limitations	and	implications	of	interactions	between	textiles	and	

blood	would	provide	the	criminal	justice	system	a	more	empirical	and	accurate	and	less	subjective	

interpretation	of	a	commonly	encountered	class	of	evidence.

I
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.)

Subcommittee January	29,	2016

SAC

17-Mar-2016