The analysis of blood includes two phases:
Pattern analysis- this includes interpreting the shape and distribution of the bloodstain and drawing conclusions on the mechanisms that have caused the bloodshed.
Reconstruction- by using the data obtained from pattern analysis analysts must determine the location of the victim and the suspect during the bloodshed cause, where the blood originated, whether there were any interventions during the cause of the bloodshed, whether there was a third person involved.
By having knowledge on the possible shapes and patterns of the bloodstains analysts can know whether the …show more content…
To determine the direction from which the blood travelled before its impact the angle of impact should be known. Angle of impact is the angle at which the blood has impacted on the surface. If the angle of impact is 90 degrees we can conclude that the blood has dropped vertically. Also such a stain would be spherical. As the angle of impact increases the shape of the blood stain is more elongated with a tail. By looking at the direction at which the tail points analysts can determine the direction of the force that had caused the bloodshed. The tail is always in the direction of the force applied. Angle of impact can be calculated by knowing the width and length of the bloodstain. Its formula …show more content…
However it was not until the twentieth century that it was recognized as a valuable tool in courts of law and criminal investigation. Eduard piotrowski from the university of Poland conducted the first known study on blood spatters. He made a publication concerning the origin, shape and the distribution of blood spatters found at the crime scenes. It was not until fifty years later that analysis pf bloodstains was considered important in the court of law and criminal investigation.
In the case of State of Ohio versus Samuel Sheppard Paul Kirk submitted an affidavit concerning the blood spatter analysis.This was one of the earlier instances where blood stain evidences were considered important in legal systems. He was able to show the position of the assailant and the victim by saying that the assailant was positioned in front of the victim and he struck the victim with his left hand.
Herbert MacDonald published 'FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF BLOOD STAINS' in the year 1971. He along with other members of the Institute of Blood Stain Analysis founded the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (IABPA). Since then BPA continues to grow and