TSA Forensic Technology
Passive Stains - -Drops, Flows, and Pools, results from gravity acting
Transfer Stains - -object coming in contact with existing blood stains and leaving wipes,
smears, or pattern transfers
Impact Stains - -blood projecting through air and usually seen as splatters. (May also
include gushes, splashes, and arterial spurts.)
Gunshot Splatter - -Includes forward splatter from exit wound and back splatter from
entrance wound. Typically: Forward is a fine mist and the back is larger, fewer drops.
Cast-Off - -Results when an object sung in arc flings blood onto nearby surfaces. Tail
points in direction of motion and the number of arcs can show minimum number of
blows.
Arterial Spray - -Spurt of blood when a major artery is severed with new pattern created
each time the heart pumps
Expired Splatter - -blood from an internal injury mixing with air from lungs being expelled
through the nose, mouth, or an injury to airways or lungs, forms a very fine mist and
some blood stains are latent.
Sharp Force Injuries (Stabbing) - -Less blood being deposited on the instrument,
smaller more linear patterns of stains
Blunt Force Injuries (Hitting or Beating) - -larger surface area will collect more blood,
producing drops of various sizes.
Gunshot Injuries - -Mist like splatter caused by bullets entering and exiting a body.
Transient Evidence - -evidence that might be expected to degrade or disappear within a
particular time frame
Exsanguination - -Bleeding to death
Sharp Instruments - -Make incised wounds
Blunt Objects - -Produce lacerations (deep cut or tear in flesh or skin)
Altor Mortis - -Cooling of body after death
How long Lividity Lasts - -36 hours
TSA