ISSN: 0022-1198
Page Count: 7

Small Particle Reagent: Developing Latent Prints on Water-Soaked Firearms and Effect on Firearms Analysis
Onstwedder, J
Forensic scientists, Illinois State Police, Bureau of Forensic Sciences, Suburban Chicago Forensic Science Laboratory, IL

Gamboe, TE
Forensic scientists, Illinois State Police, Bureau of Forensic Sciences, Suburban Chicago Forensic Science Laboratory, IL

(Received 17 March 1988; accepted 8 July 1988)

Abstract

Small particle reagent (SPR) is a technique for developing latent prints on watersoaked items. Current research in processing wet firearms indicates that SPR may be a valid technique for developing latent prints with negligible effect on firearms analysis. Six different firearms each composed of different materials were immersed in water at time intervals ranging from eight to thirty-five days. At the end of the first and second phases, all firearms were processed for latent prints using SPR. A third phase involved using cyanoacrylate ester fuming followed by black powder as a generally accepted processing technique. Results of the experiment revealed that SPR yielded more suitable latent impressions than cyanocrylate ester fuming followed by black powder.

Keywords:
criminalistics, fingerprints, water-soaked material, ballistics, firearms identification, black powder, cyanoacrylate ester, molybdenum disulphide, small particle reagent, trigger pull, molybdenite

Paper ID: JFS12640J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS12640J
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