ABSTRACT
Crimes involving the use of firearms represent a significant area of police investigation. Firearms evidence may be present in crimes such as murder, attempted murder, suicide, assault, and rape. A number of questions may be answered by means of the proper utilization of firearms evidence: What kind of weapon was used? Was the weapon in proper working order? How far away was the weapon fired? In what direction was the weapon fired? Did a specific weapon fire a bullet? Did a particular person fire the weapon? (See Figure 10.1.)
Because of the importance of reconstructing the circumstances of the crime and corroborating accounts of the crime by witnesses, suspects, and victims, firearms evidence is particularly important. This chapter deals with the major areas of firearms examination as they relate to crimes of violence.
