Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Question 1

Three types of bloodstains

Answer 1

<p>Passive, transfer, projected/impact</p>

Question 2

Passive bloodstains

Answer 2

Include clots, drops, flows, pooling

Question 3

Transfer bloodstains

Answer 3

Wipes, swipes, pattern, general contact

Question 4

Projected/Impact bloodstains

Answer 4

Spatter, splashes, cast-off, arterial spurts

Question 5

Wipe stain

Answer 5

Transfer- created when an object moves through a pre-existing bloodstain
Ex. dragging a rag through a pool of blood

Question 6

Swipe stain

Answer 6

Transfer- created when there is a transfer of blood onto a target by a moving target. That moving target must be bloodstained.
stained objects create swipes
Ex. Bloody hand touches the counter

Question 7

Spatter

Answer 7

Describes a stain that results from blood hitting a target

Question 8

Cast-off stains

Answer 8

Result of blood being flung or projected from a bloody object in motion or one that stops suddenly
Linear, arc around the bloody object

Question 9

Arterial spurts

Answer 9

When an artery is breached while the heart is pumping, blood will spurt in a zig zag pattern due to the pumping action and variable pressure of the blood as it exits the wound

Question 10

Voids

Answer 10

Indicate that some secondary object came between blood spatter and the final target, leaving an outline or “shadow” on the final target

Question 11

Skeletonized stains

Answer 11

Borders dry first due to surface effects. If the bloodstain is wiped, these dried areas (skeletonized stains) are left behind

Question 12

Angle of impact

Answer 12

Acute angle created by the intercept of the target with the droplet’s vector

Question 13

Directional angle

Answer 13

The angle between the long axis of the stain and a standard reference point, generally 0 degrees vertical