Cameron Miranda
Ballistics laboratories play a crucial role in law enforcement by providing the tools and technology needed to investigate and solve gun crimes. By examining firearms, comparing projectiles and cartridge cases, and utilizing ballistic imaging technology, law enforcement agencies can identify the firearms used in crimes and link them to prior criminal activities or individuals associated with them. This information helps create investigative leads, identify suspects, and hold violent offenders accountable, ultimately reducing gun violence and improving community safety. States like Delaware and Nevada have policies mandating the use of ballistic information sharing programs and requiring law enforcement to submit firearms and shell casings recovered from crime scenes to ballistics laboratories for testing and data entry into systems like the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose of ballistic laboratories | To determine the operability status of submitted weapons and to compare projectiles, cartridge cases, and other fired components recovered at crime scenes to determine if they were fired from the same firearm |
| Accreditation | The Ballistics Unit is accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 standards by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) |
| Requirements for accreditation | A unit must follow and stay compliant with the over 500 ISO/IEC 17025 International Standards, in addition to A2LA supplemental requirements |
| Additional compliance requirements | Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Minimum Required Operating Standards (MROS) for National Integrated Information Network (NIBIN) |
| Role of NIBIN | Automates ballistics evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads in a timely manner |
| Role of NIBIN in crime-solving | Firearms examiners or technicians enter cartridge casing evidence into the Integrated Ballistic Identification System |
| Role of ballistic imaging technology | Enables law enforcement to pursue those who commit gun crimes by connecting evidence found at the scene of a shooting, like a spent ammunition cartridge, to the gun that was used |
| Example of state policy | In 2019, Nevada enacted a law requiring law enforcement agencies in counties with populations of 100,000 or more to submit recovered semi-automatic handguns used or suspected of being used in crimes, and their shell casings, to a forensic laboratory for testing |
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What You'll Learn
Ballistic imaging technology
The Boston Police Department's (BPD) Ballistics Unit was one of the first to receive the IBIS technology in March 1995. The system was fully implemented when the BPD Ballistics Unit made its first IBIS match in July 1995. Prior to the adoption of IBIS, ballistic operations typically consisted of manually matching bullets and cartridge casings to determine whether they were fired from a suspect's firearm. Since adopting the ballistics imaging technology, the BPD test fires all recovered crime guns, and the expended bullets and cartridge casings are imaged and entered into the IBIS database. As of December 2003, the BPD Ballistics Unit had entered some 2,400 bullets and 12,700 cartridge casings into its imaging database, recording a total of 396 IBIS-related matches.
Using negative binomial regression models to analyse time series data on ballistic matches, studies have found that ballistic imaging technology was associated with a more than sixfold increase in the monthly number of ballistic matches. Cost-effectiveness estimates and qualitative evidence also indicate that ballistic imaging technology allows law enforcement agencies to make matches that would not have been possible with traditional ballistic methods.
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Ballistic identification
The process of ballistic identification typically involves test-firing a suspect's gun and then comparing the marks on the test-fired bullet to those on the bullet recovered from the crime scene. This comparison is done using advanced imaging techniques, such as 3D microscopy, which allows for a detailed analysis of the unique marks left by the firearm. The examiner will assess the similarity of the marks and determine the likelihood that the bullets were fired from the same gun. This process can also be applied to cartridge cases, as they too bear distinctive marks from the firing chamber of the gun.
To facilitate ballistic identification, law enforcement agencies have access to advanced technologies and databases. The Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS), for example, utilizes 3D microscopy to capture and match the unique marks on bullets and cartridge cases. IBIS enables collaboration between agencies across different jurisdictions, both nationally and internationally. Another important tool is the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which is operated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). NIBIN automates ballistic evaluations, providing timely investigative leads to law enforcement. It is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in the United States and has been instrumental in incarcerating violent offenders.
In addition to these technologies, standardized procedures and reference materials are crucial for accurate ballistic identification. The NIST Standard Bullet and NIST Standard Cartridge Case, developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), are precisely manufactured replicas with known ballistic fingerprints. These standards are used by crime laboratories to calibrate their instruments, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of their examinations. NIST scientists are also working on methods to provide examiners with an objective measure of certainty for their testimony, enhancing the strength of ballistic evidence in forensic investigations.
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Microstamping systems
Microstamping is a technology that uses lasers to imprint unique markings onto the tip of a firearm's firing pin and/or breech face. These markings, similar to a serial number, include specific information about the gun. When the gun is fired, this information is then imprinted on the bullet casings. This allows law enforcement to match bullet cartridges found at crime scenes directly to the gun that fired them.
In 2008, the United States National Research Council endorsed the investigation of microstamping as an alternative to ballistic markings. The report concluded that a national database of ballistic markings is unworkable and that there is not enough scientific evidence that "every gun leaves unique markings on bullets and cartridge cases." It described microstamping as a "promising method" that could achieve the same basic goal as the proposed database.
In 2007, California strengthened its Unsafe Handgun Act by requiring all new semi-automatic pistol models to incorporate microstamping technology. The law went into effect in 2013, and in 2018, the California Supreme Court upheld the microstamping requirements. Despite this, gun manufacturers boycotted the implementation of microstamping, refusing to develop new semi-automatic pistols with the technology for sale in California. They argued that the requirement of two microstamps made it impossible to comply.
In 2020, California's Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2847 into law, reducing the microstamping requirement to a single imprint on the interior of a firearm. This ended the gun industry's boycott, as they had publicly admitted that they could implement the technology in one place. For every new safe gun introduced into California, three unsafe guns that do not have microstamping technology will be removed from the list of guns that can be sold in the state.
Opponents of microstamping argue that it is an unproven and unreliable technology. They claim that the imprints are often illegible, even under perfect conditions, and can be easily defeated with sandpaper or a nail file. Additionally, the high costs of testing the technology will increase the cost of firearms for legal purchasers.
While the debate around microstamping continues, supporters believe that it will help law enforcement solve more crimes and break cycles of deadly gun violence.
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Crime scene investigations
Ballistics experts can also recover fingerprints from the surface of bullet fragments found at the scene. They can expose the fragments to superglue fumes and fingerprint powder to reveal fingerprints that can then be run through a fingerprint database to identify a suspect.
In addition, forensic ballistics involves the examination of evidence from firearms that may have been used in a crime. When a bullet is fired from a gun, the gun leaves microscopic marks on the bullet and cartridge case. These marks are like ballistic fingerprints. If investigators recover bullets from a crime scene, forensic examiners can test-fire a suspect’s gun and then compare the marks on the crime scene bullet to the test-fired bullet. The examiner will then assess how similar the two sets of marks are and determine if the bullets are likely to have been fired from the same gun.
Cartridge cases are also compared in the same way. Forensic specialists can look for unique markings on the cartridge case, which can be used in the forensic investigation. These indentations can be left on the casing’s soft surface by the firing pin, the extracting pin, or the ejector. If the specialist can capture images of these impressions or tool marks, they can link a particular firearm to a crime scene.
Furthermore, ballistic identification and microstamping systems help law enforcement officials investigate gun crimes because they can accurately identify the gun from which a cartridge case was fired. By linking the cartridge cases recovered at crime scenes to the gun that fired them, ballistic identification and microstamping technologies make it easier to solve gun crimes.
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Gun crime investigations
Securing the crime scene is critical to preserve any evidence that may be present. Investigators must carefully collect and document trace evidence, such as shell casings, bullet trajectories, and spatter patterns, while also ensuring the safety of everyone involved. Health and safety procedures are paramount when dealing with firearms-related crimes.
Interviewing witnesses and gathering information from them is an important aspect of gun crime investigations. Witnesses can provide valuable details about the incident, including descriptions of suspects, the number of shots fired, and any other relevant observations.
Collecting and documenting evidence is crucial for building a strong case. This includes not only physical evidence from the crime scene but also ballistic evidence, such as bullet trajectories, calibre, and firearm identification. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), maintained by the ATF, is a valuable resource for collecting and comparing ballistic evidence. Firearms tracing is also essential, especially when dealing with modified or obliterated serial numbers, as it helps identify sources, trafficking methodologies, and potential links to suspects.
Forensic analysis plays a significant role in gun crime investigations. Crime laboratories utilise investigative leads, such as the NIBIN Toolkit for Prosecutors, to support investigators, prosecutors, and lab personnel. This integrated approach enhances the collection, analysis, and sharing of forensic evidence, aiding in the successful investigation and prosecution of gun-related crimes.
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Frequently asked questions
The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States. It automates ballistic evaluations and provides timely investigative leads.
Firearms examiners or technicians enter cartridge casing evidence into the Integrated Ballistic Identification System. Ballistic identification and microstamping systems help law enforcement officials investigate gun crimes because they can accurately identify the gun from which a cartridge case was fired.
In 2019, Nevada enacted a law that requires law enforcement agencies in counties with populations of 100,000 people or more to submit recovered semi-automatic handguns used or suspected of being used in crimes, along with their shell casings, to a forensic laboratory for testing. The resulting data must be entered into NIBIN.
Maryland repealed its ballistic identification requirements in 2015. From 2000 to 2015, the state required manufacturers to test-fire all handguns shipped into the state and provide a spent cartridge case to the purchasing firearms dealer.
