Blood SpatterJordan Ellis And Jakob Biddle

Forensic Science To solve most crimes and mysteries in today’s era, compelling evidence can not be gathered by observation alone. Forensic science is used to gather evidence from crimes in which such evidence would not be found without using scientific processes.

Forensics scientists provide either the prosecution or defense with evidence to be used in a court of law. Different types of forensic scientists specialize in different things. All use different methods of science to discover certain things about a crime. Things like time of death, cause of death, location of the crime, fingerprints, and DNA can be found using different methods of forensic science.

Duty of a Blood Spatter Analyst ◦ Taking photographs of blood found at crime scenes◦ Taking samples of blood of any kind at the crime scene to analyze to find blood type and

or DNA evidence◦ Recreating crime scenes to indicate weapon type, trajectory of impact, amount of

power/force used, etc.◦ Creating detailed reports on spatter at crime scene for use in court◦ Used as professional testimonies in court toconfirm or deny allegations made about the crime based on their analysis

Becoming a Blood Spatter Analyst

Someone looking to become a blood spatter analyst would need to get a

bachelors degree in forensic science. Basic classes required to get this degree would

include biology, anatomy, criminology, constitutional law, and statistical analysis. New analysts must go through specialized

training dealing with the specifics of bloodstain patterns and angles of spatter.

This career is not for the feint of heart due to the horrid nature of some of the crime

scenes you will encounter.

The median salary for a blood spatter analyst was $52,840 in 2012. The predicted growth of the field is lower that average and it is believed most forensic science fields will become very competitive.

The Evidence As a Blood Spatter Analyst, you will be dealing with samples of blood as well as traces or spatters of blood left at a crime scene. Blood Spatter Experts can determine the speed and trajectory of blood be the splatter left at the scene as well as what time of impact caused the wound (High Speed, Blunt impact, ect.).

Different types of blood spatter these experts deal with would include:

◦ Gunshot Spatter- forward spatter from exit wound and back spatter from entrance wound

◦ Cast-Off Spatter- arced trajectory of object hitting victim causing blood to splatter

◦ Arterial spray- Spurts of blood caused by a major artery being severed

◦ Expirated spatter- Blood from internal injury being mixed with air from lungs and expelled from body

Where They WorkBLOOD SPATTER ANALYSTS USUALLY WORK IN LOCAL OR STATE LABORATORIES ASSOCIATED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY WILL SOMETIMES BE CALLED TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME IN ORDER TO COLLECT SAMPLES OF BLOOD EVIDENCE AND TAKE P ICTURES OF SPATTER AT THE SCENE

The Yoga Store Murder Brittany Norwood stabbed her co-worker over 300 times with 6 different weapons in a yoga store near Washington D.C.. She then claimed it was armed robbers who killed Jayna Murray, the evidence and her story did not match up. Only two sets of footprints were at the scene, and there was no evidence that anyone else was in the store. Witness’s claim to have heard two women arguing the night of the murder. During the trial, a Blood Spatter analyst testified that the blood at the scene was typical for a severe beating and had a detailed account on how the crime went down. This testimony was a major factor in Brittany Norwood getting life without parole because the expert testimony proved that her account for the story was not true.

Citations Blood-spatter expert testifies in yoga store killing. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2015, from

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/crime-scene/post/blood-spatter-expert-testifies-in-yoga-store-killing/2011/10/31/gIQAaSeNZM_blog.html

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2015, from http://www.forensicsciencesimplified.org/blood/principles.html

Brittany Norwood. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2015, from http://murderpedia.org/female.N/n/norwood-brittany.htm

How to Become a Blood Spatter Analyst: Career and Salary Information. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2015, from http://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-

justice- careers/blood-spatter-analyst/

Roufa, T. (n.d.). How to Become a Bloodstain Pattern Analyst. Retrieved August 27, 2015, from http://criminologycareers.about.com/od/Forensic-Science-Careers/a/How-to-be-a-Bloodstain-Pattern-Analyst.htm