Jacee Leight

Abstract:

The specialization of Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) regards the location, shape, size, distribution, and other physical characteristics of bloodstains in the crime scene, and from this derive information regarding the nature of the event that created the pattern. Crime scenes contain elements of different textiles that can hold viable information about the nature of the event. But so little is understood about the influence of bloodstain characteristics on surfaces. As a result, bloodstained fabrics are often approached with caution, as interpretation is expected to be innately risky and difficult. Billions of bloodstained clothing and other textiles are examined in forensic laboratories around the world, yet there is, to date, no standard or well-documented method for analyzing bloodstains on these textiles. The interaction between blood and the textile structure can greatly alter the staining pattern, thus rendering the analysis of the stain complex, impossible, or even invalid.