Introduction

Small Bloodstains on Textiles – What Can They Tell Us?

Small Bloodstains on Textiles – What Can They Tell Us?

This webinar originally occurred on September 12, 2018
Duration: 1 hour

Overview

This webinar will explore the interaction of blood with the multiple structures that occur within a simple textile and how these structures affect small bloodstains. One of the most common materials collected from violent scenes and examined by forensic scientists are textiles. Often they are bloodied, and, if the stain is a large saturation stain, the pattern can often provide evidence about what happened and how. However, for small bloodstains, there is no reliable means to interpret which events could have led to creating these stains on textiles, such as clothing, upholstery, bed linens, curtains, and so forth. If a similar event deposits blood onto non-porous materials, the bloodstain pattern analyst can often ascertain what type of event(s) is(are) consistent with the bloodstain pattern.

In this webinar, we will explore each of these factors and show how they affect the resulting stains. We will examine real bloodstains on textiles and the time evolution of their development. The participant will come away with a greater appreciation for the complexities of bloodstain development on textiles. Finally, they will learn new ways to look at textiles at a scene or during laboratory examination for additional clues about the case.

Presenter

  • Dr. Stephen Michielsen | Professor in the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University

Funding for this Forensic Technology Center of Excellence webinar has been provided by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this webinar are those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Contact us at ForensicCOE@rti.org with any questions and subscribe to our newsletter for notifications.


Related Content

Discussion of the FTCOE’s Guidance Document on Considerations for Photographic Documentation in Sexual Assault Cases

Publication Sexual Assault Report, January/February 2024 Author Mikalaa Martin | RTI International Overview In August 2022, the FTCOE published a report, Guidance Document on Considerations for Photographic Documentation in Sexual Assault Cases, which presents photographic documentation practices and techniques for…

What FSSP Leaders Should Know about Artificial Intelligence and its Application to Forensic Science In-Brief

Date December 2023 Overview Artificial intelligence (AI), which leverages computers to perform tasks that enhance decision-making, problem-solving capabilities, and technology-driven innovativeness,” is a rapidly growing area of interest for both industry and the federal research and development (R&D) community.1 For forensic science service…

FLN-TWG: A Roadmap to Improve Research and Technology Transition in Forensic Science

← Back to FLN-TWG Main Page  Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG) The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International, formed the Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group…