ABSTRACT
Proper documentation of bullet holes at shooting scenes should involve a series of steps as follows:
1. Exmine the area around the bullet hole and the margins of the hole for trace evidence (blood, hair, fiber, tissue, glass, paint, gunpowder, etc.). If present, document photographically and collect as appropriate (refer to Chapter 8 for instructions on how to collect gunpowder particles). It is best to collect the object containing a bullet hole or part of the object; include trace evidence whenever possible and document the evidence properly with photographs, measurements, and sketches. This permits collection and/or examination to be pursued at the crime laboratory under more ideal conditions.
