Firearm Identification In The Forensic Science Laboratory

This monograph serves to introduce the prosecutor to the principal elements of one of the forensic specialties, the science of "firearm and toolmark identification." For a prosecutor to be successful, he or she must be cognizant of the expectations of today's jury. Thanks to the modern electronic media, use of the forensic sciences has caught the imagination of the public, and the potential jury pool has demonstrated that it has certain expectations when a case is brought before it. No matter how fantastic or erroneous these expectations are, practitioners in law enforcement and experts in the forensic sciences have to deal with them in a forthright manner. The best strategy is for the prosecutor to be well acquainted with the capabilities and limits of the forensic science disciplines that may be the linchpin in the investigation and, more importantly, in the prosecution of a defendant at trial.

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Author: Robert M. Thompson

Federal Sponsor Agency: BJA

Provider: National District Attorneys Association

Publication Date: 2010

Publication Type: PDF