MULTIDISCIPLINARY TECHNIQUE FOR THE EVALUATION OF LESS-THAN-LETHAL WEAPONS, V 1 - DRAFT REPORT

• NCJ Number: 38640
• Author(s): D O EGNER; E B SHANK; M J WARGOVICH; A F TIEDEMANN
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 148 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-IAA-014-72
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: US Dept of the Army
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PRIMARY PROGRAM OBJECTIVE WAS TO ESTABLISH A METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING STANDARDIZED EFFECTIVENESS MEASURES OF CANDIDATE LESS-THAN-LETHAL WEAPONS THAT UTILIZE KINETIC ENERGY DAMAGE MECHANISMS.

Abstract

A TWO-PARAMETER MEASURE OF EFFECTIVENESS DETERMINING DESIRABLE AND UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS PRODUCED WHEN A GIVEN WEAPON IS USED AGAINST A DEFINED TARGET ASSOCIATED WITH A STANDARD SCENARIO IS PROPOSED. A SPECIFIC TWO-PARAMETER DATA BANK WAS DEVELOPED FOR PROJECTILES EMPLOYING THE BLUNT-TRAUMA DAMAGE MECHANISM AND ALSO FOR THE .38 CALIBER ROUND. THE BLUNT-TRAUMA DATA BANK WAS GENERALIZED FOR MODEL APPLICATION AND THE .38 CALIBER DATA WAS EXERCISED IN THE EVALUATION MODEL GENERATED UNDER THIS PROGRAM. A SECONDARY, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT, PROGRAM WAS TO POINT OUT AREAS WHERE FURTHER EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF LESS-THANLETHAL WEAPONS THAN COULD BE DONE IN THE TIME AND FUNDING LIMITATIONS OF THIS PROGRAM. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE DRAFT SCENARIOS OF POLICE TACTICAL SITUATIONS FOR DERIVING STANDARDS FOR LESS-THAN-LETHAL WEAPONS, A LITERATURE SEARCH ON BLUNT-TRAUMA DEVICES, PHYSIOLOGICAL DAMAGE CRITERIA, AND MATHEMATICAL MODELS FOR GENERAL EVALUATION, AND FOR DETERMINING THE HIT PROBABILITY. FOR VOLUME ONE, WHICH APPLIES THIS EVALUATION METHODOLOGY TO A .38 CALIBER REVOLVER, SEE NCJ-34814. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)