Amaral, Mark Andrew;
(2022)
Establishing evidence bases for crime reconstructions: Experimental studies on the recovery, transfer, and persistence of forensic evidence.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
The focus of this research lies within the context of the forensic process and addresses a current debate within the literature for the importance and necessity of a growing body of empirical research to inform each stage of that process. This thesis presents three experimental studies addressing the recovery, transfer, and persistence of forensic traces. First, a novel gelatine-based collection medium was created, and a sampling method validated, for recovering explosive and drug residues from a wide range of porous and non-porous surfaces. Second, the first reported use of Instron’s ElectroPuls for application to forensic science is also presented, employing a reductionist approach to evaluate the individual impact of force, time, and rotation on the transfer of explosive and drug particulates. Third, a comparison of the dynamics of drug particulates on paper and polymer banknotes are presented, assessing the implications this might have on crime reconstruction approaches as more countries adopt polymer banknotes as legal tender. Based on the results, this thesis presents an effective method for inclusion in the tool kit which investigators can rely upon when tasked with the forensic collection and recovery of trace particulates. Additionally, the findings indicate that there is value for broader crime reconstruction endeavours in taking a reductionist approach when seeking to understand the mechanics of trace transfers. This can assist in creating simulation models where specific parameters can be adjusted for a given case in which the transfer of forensic materials may have occurred. Such datasets are valuable for modelling the movements of traces to enable more transparent and reproducible interpretations of pertinent trace materials in crime reconstructions.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Establishing evidence bases for crime reconstructions: Experimental studies on the recovery, transfer, and persistence of forensic evidence |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2022. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Security and Crime Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10148050 |
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