Practical evidence processing : does cyanoacrylate fuming hinder firearms analysis?.

Abstract

Cyanoacrylate fuming is a successful and efficient chemical process of revealing latent prints on non-porous objects found at crime scenes. In a crime laboratory setting, firearms are often processed for latent prints. While firearms are fumed using the cyanoacrylate fuming method, little research has been conducted to determine if this process hinders firearm analysis. The question of whether latent print examiners should protect the barrel or openings during the process has not been thoroughly researched. The lack of research on this subject may lead to potential misinterpretations as to what precautions should be taken prior to the latent print examination, and may lead to the loss of potentially vital evidence. The purpose of this study is to discover whether cyanoacrylate fuming masks critical areas within a firearm that may provide individual characteristics for identification. Fired cartridge cases were examined and intra-compared before and after fuming. Results indicate significant differences in the mean number of matching striations for the gun and taping combination of pistols and revolvers, taped and not taped, respectively. This indicates that not taping the barrel of a firearm has an effect on the number of striations produced after the fuming process.