Bullets Have Fingerprints Too

     Ballistic fingerprinting it a critical technique used in the forensic science field. Everyone knows that each and every individual's fingerprints are unique and no two are the same. This is exactly what it is like for bullets that have been fired from a gun. The definition of ballistic fingerprinting, provided by Free Dictionary, is the "identification of the gun that fired a bullet from an analysis of the unique marks that every gun makes on the bullet it fires and on the shell ejected from it."

[The image (found on google.com) shows the striations on a fired bullet]

     Being able to identify and analyze a bullet after it has been fired is extremely important. Ballistic analysts have to look at the different striations that are left on the fired bullet. When experienced enough, the analysts can recognize and quickly identify what type of bullet it is and the size. After this has been figured out, they then have to decide what type of gun that the bullet was fired from to narrow down what they're looking for. Once they have a narrowed scope, they then go into the details. Based off of striations, scratches, and firing pin markings, ballistic analysts usually can find the exact gun that the bullet was fired from. However, their job is made much harder when the gun used wasn't left at the scene of the crime, and when they do not have a specific set of suspects that they are looking into. To add to the complications, shot shells cannot be analyzed because there are no marks left on them after they have been shot. So essentially, this evidence would be useless if found on the scene.
     One of the very fascinating things about forensics is that all of the different areas in the field tie into one another. Such as, ballistics and bloodstain pattern analysis go hand in hand because if a victim is shot, there will (most likely) be bloodstains left behind to be analyzed and documented. For example, the popular TV show, Dexter, is primarily focused on Dexter being a blood spatter analyst, but they also show all of the other areas of forensics such as the photographer(s), toxicology, and the detectives. As we all know, television shows never accurately depict real life jobs and situations, especially in the forensics field because it's so complex and can be rather complicated. If they were to give all the details of what really went on, the audience could potentially become bored, uninterested, or overwhelmed due to the mass amounts of new information being introduced.
     So, what exactly do ballistic analysts look for when analyzing a bullet, or a gun? How do they know whether the bullet came from one gun, or another? What kind of tests or experiments are done to provide solid and concrete evidence in court? Is ballistic analysis reliable? There are so many questions that the average person has about ballistics, and I'm hoping this blog will help answer some of these and clear up common misconceptions or any misunderstandings about the topic.


Haven't heard of "Dexter"? Check out this website for some background information: www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ql_7 

Want to learn more about ballistics? Check out this peer-reviewed article from ProQuest: search.proquest.com.mutex.gmu.edu/criminaljusticeperiodicals/docview/218392726/F3DF8D903814483BPQ/2?accountid=14541

Not enough? Here's more information on ballistics:
www.exploreforensics.co.uk/ballistics-theuse-and-study-of-firearms.html

References: 
The Free Dictionary. Website. 2014. Accessed 6/19/14. www.thefreedictionary.com/ballistic+fingerprinting