As witnessed in landmark criminal cases, the quality and integrity of bloodstain evidence can be a crucial factor in determining a verdict.

Stuart H. James, Paul E. Kish, T. Paulette Sutton

Introduction to Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. Medical and Anatomical Aspects of Bloodshed. Biological and Physical Properties of Human Blood. Physical Properties of Bloodstain Formation. Passive Bloodstains. Formation of Spatter and Spatter Associated with a Secondary Mechanism. Impact Spatter Mechanisms. Spatter Associated with a Projection Mechanism. Altered Bloodstain Patterns. Determination of the Area of Convergence and Area of Origin of Bloodstain Patterns. Directional Analysis of Bloodstain Patterns with a Computer. Documentation and Examination of Bloodstain Evidence. Evaluation of Bloodstain Patterns at the Scene. Presumptive Testing and Species Determination of Blood and Bloodstains. The Detection of Blood Using Luminol. Chemical Enhancement of Latent Bloodstain Impressions. Approaching the Bloodstain Pattern Case. Report Writing. Legal and Ethical Aspects of Bloodstain Pattern Evidence. Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: Postconviction and Appellate Application. References. Appendix A: Trigonometric Tables - Sine and Tangent Functions. Appendix B: Metric Measurements and Equivalents. Appendix C: Scene and Laboratory Checklists. Appendix D: Biohazard Safety Precautions. Appendix E: Court Decisions Relating to Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. Appendix F: Court Decisions Relating to Presumptive Blood Tests. Glossary of Terminology. Index.