NCJ Number
221368
Date Published
January 2008
Length
6 pages
Annotation
These guidelines pertain to minimum pretraining educational requirements for an individual currently in, or entering into, a bloodstain pattern analyst training program, as well as the minimum training requirements for a trainee.
Abstract
Minimum pretraining requirements for a bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) trainee are a bachelor's degree or equivalent in a field of study related to BPA from an accredited college or university; or an associate' degree or equivalent in a field of study related to BPA from an accredited college or university and 2 years of job-related experience; or a high school diploma or equivalent and 4 years of job-related experience. The required minimum objectives for a BPA training program are also included in the guidelines. After completing training, the student must be able to demonstrate an understanding of health and safety issues associated with BPA, knowledge of the history of BPA, understanding of the scientific principles as they relate to BPA, and an understanding of bloodstain pattern principles and their application to BPA. After completing training, the students should also demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical principles that relate to BPA, how the physical appearance of bloodstain patterns relates to the mechanisms by which they were created, acceptable documentation methods for bloodstain pattern evidence, and the methodologies for the preservation and collection of bloodstain pattern evidence that allow for future examinations. Students must also show that they understand bloodletting injuries, their locations, and their potential effects on the bloodstain patterns; searching, chemical testing, and enhancement techniques that pertain to bloodstains; and the limitations of BPA. Further, students must demonstrate the ability to apply BPA in the reconstruction of a bloodletting event, as well as the ability to communicate findings, conclusions, and opinions verbally and/or in writing.