Citation

Morris KB, Law EF, Jefferys RL, Dearth EC, Fabyanic EB. Forensic Sci. Int. 2017; 280: 188-193.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic and Investigative Science, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6121, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.09.004

PMID

29078161

Abstract

Through analysis and comparison of firing pin, breech face, and ejector impressions, where appropriate, firearm examiners may connect a cartridge case to a suspect firearm with a certain likelihood in a criminal investigation. When a firearm is not present, an examiner may use the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS(®)), an automated search and retrieval system coupled with the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN), a database of images showing the markings on fired cartridge cases and bullets from crime scenes along with test fired firearms. For the purpose of measurement quality control of these IBIS(®) systems the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) initiated the Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2460/2461 standard bullets and cartridge cases project. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall performance of the IBIS(®) system by using NIST standard cartridge cases. By evaluating the resulting correlation scores, error rates, and percent recovery, both the variability between and within examiners when using IBIS(®), in addition to any inter- and intra-variability between SRM cartridge cases was observed.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Breech face; Firing pin; IBIS(®); NIST standard cartridge case