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The Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Training Course In Houston is approved by the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA). It is also approved for the following:
We offer an approved 40-hour bloodstain pattern analysis training in Houston. Our company is based in New Braunfels, Texas. The lead instructor, John Calvin Gaziano, is a retired sergeant of the Fremont Police Department with over 27 years of service. He supervised and taught members of the crime scene unit, in addition to being a certified bloodstain pattern analyst (CBPA) with the International Association for Identification (IAI). He is currently the only IAI-certified bloodstain pattern
analyst in Texas.
This entry-level course is for those investigating violent and bloody crime scenes. The training covers all aspects of bloodstain pattern analysis, from basic to advanced topics. Current techniques and technologies will be introduced. The class includes lectures on various aspects of bloodstain pattern analysis and hands-on practical exercises with animal blood. Attendees will learn to identify bloodstain patterns and understand the mechanisms and events that created them. We teach participants to reconstruct and sequence events while remaining objective and using the scientific method. During the week-long course, 15 practical exercises and related subsets will be introduced. For example, some activities include beating blood with baseball bats, flinging blood onto walls, and shooting blood with a mounted pistol. A 233-page manual written by the instructor will be provided to each student.
The International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA) Education Committee and the International Association for Identification (IAI) Bloodstain Pattern Examiner Certification Board approved the training curriculum. We offer the course throughout Texas, focusing on the Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston areas. Please contact us if you are interested in bloodstain pattern analysis training in Dallas and want to host the course.
We look forward to working with you and your organization.
The shape of individual bloodstains found at crime scenes can range from entirely circular to very elliptical. The different shapes correspond to the angle of impact with a target surface. Being able to interpret a stain’s impact angle allows the analyst to correlate multiple stains in an associated impact pattern and determine their area of origin.
An impact pattern’s stain sizes are consistent with the amount of force impacting a liquid blood source. Stains created by blunt force are generally larger than those created by gunshot or explosive force but smaller than those created by gravity; however, blunt force can cause stains that resemble those caused by explosive force or gravity. When analyzing the cause of impact patterns, one should know the weapon(s) involved and the injuries the parties sustained. Just because a stain pattern has spatter stains of 1-4 mm does not necessarily mean the pattern was created by blunt force. These types of patterns are created when a blunt object impacts liquid blood with a certain amount of force. They can often be analyzed for an area of origin.
Many violent crime scenes involve trauma due to explosive force. A firearm or a bomb detonation are types of explosive force. The tremendous force impacting liquid blood disperses the blood into tiny droplets. The old school of thought was that anything with a force of 100’ per second or greater created high-velocity impact spatter (HVIS). Stain sizes created from HVIS were generally 1 mm or less, with many of the stains approximately .1 mm, creating an atomized or misting effect on nearby surfaces.
One problem with the HVIS methodology was that a force of less than 100’ per second could produce less than 1 mm stains. Another issue was that bloodstains of varying size ranges were found within patterns created by explosive force.
The analyst must know the weapon used and the injuries of the involved subjects before stating, with any degree of scientific certainty, that the bloodstain pattern was created from explosive force.
A bullet that perforates a liquid blood source may create forward spatter and backspatter patterns. A forward spatter pattern results from an external force striking liquid blood, causing the breakup into individual droplets that travel in the same direction as the applied force. The droplets strike a surface, creating stains that define the pattern. Forward spatter patterns are consistent with a projectile creating an exit wound. A backspatter pattern results from blood droplets that travel opposite the direction of the applied external force, as in the case of an entrance wound created by a projectile.
An analyst at a crime scene may notice linear or semi-linear trails of blood with a slight curvature on the walls, ceilings, or other surfaces. Such “cast-off” patterns are typically created when blood is released from an object in motion, such as the swinging of a hammer, pipe, or hand.
Hosting the bloodstain pattern analysis course has several benefits for the agency. One advantage is eliminating costs associated with travel and lodging for employees. Another benefit is that the hosting agency or organization receives free tuitions based on the number of paying students as follows:
The course requires a minimum of 10 paying students. If the minimum number of paying students is not met, the class will be canceled, and all tuitions paid will be promptly refunded.
We require the agency or organization to provide a lecture room for digital media presentations to host the bloodstain pattern analysis course. A large and clear area will also be needed for the practical exercises, and a warehouse-type room usually works well. One of the practical exercises requires a location where a pistol can be fired safely for a few hours during one of the training days.
The responsibility of the hosting agency or organization is to aid in recruiting students for the course. We will supply a course flyer to be distributed to nearby agencies, and we will post the course on various websites. All travel and associated costs are the responsibility of Gaziano Forensic Consulting and not the hosting agency. If you are interested in hosting the course, please click the Host a Course button so we can work together to enhance the competency of your employees.
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Gaziano Forensic Consulting offers practical crime scene training and consulting services.