The reliability of forensic methods to detect gunshot residue on the hands of suspects

Abstract

One of the most important facts in crimes involving firearms, crucial for their elucidation, is the identification of persons who had fired the shot during the critical incident. Gunshot residue on the skin of a suspect is important evidence for reconstructive questions in the forensic investigation of cases involving firearms. The subject of this paper is to analyze the gunshot residue - products of bullet firing from a hand gun in order to determine whether a person is actually shot in this case or not. Specifically, the paper will give a critical analysis of the methods of forensic practice in the region when it comes to expert trace analysis of the use of firearms and gunshot residue in particular, as well as recommendations for future research in GSR.

Kod krivičnih dela izvršenih vatrenim oružjem jedna od veoma bitnih, a često i najvažnijih činjenica za njihovo rasvetljavanje je identifikacija lica koje je pucalo iz vatrenog oružja kritičnom prilikom. Tragovi barutnih čestica na koži osumnjičenog mogu biti važan materijalni dokaz u krivičnim delima sa upotrebom vatrenog oružja. Predmet ovog rada je analiza produkata opaljenja metka iz ručnog vatrenog oružja u cilju određivanja da li je neko lice zaista i pucalo u konkretnom slučaju. Naime, u radu će biti data kritička analiza pojedinih metoda kriminalističko-tehničke prakse zemalja u regionu kada je u pitanju veštačenje tragova upotrebe vatrenog oružja, konkretno barutnih čestica, kao i preporuka za buduća ispitivanja tragova barutnih čestica.