IABPA

SUGGESTED TERMINOLOGY LIST

Angle of Impact  --  The acute angle formed between the direction of a blood drop and the plane of the surface it strikes.

Arterial Spurting (or gushing) Pattern  --  Bloodstain pattern(s) resulting from blood exiting the body under pressure from a breached artery.

Back Spatter --  Blood directed back towards the source of energy or force that caused the spatter.

Bloodstain  --  Evidence that liquid blood has come into contact with a surface.

Bubble Rings  --  Rings in blood that result when blood containing air bubbles dries and retains the bubble's circular configuration as a dried outline.

Cast-Off Pattern  --  A bloodstain pattern created when blood is released or thrown from a blood-bearing object in motion.

Directionality  --  The directionality of a bloodstain or pattern which indicates the direction the blood was traveling when it impacted the target surface.  Directionality of a blood drop's flight can usually be established from the geometric shape of its bloodstain.

Directionality Angle --  The angle between the long axis of a bloodstain and a predetermined line on the plane of the target surface which represents 0 degrees.

Direction of Flight  --  The trajectory of a blood drop which can be established by its angle of impact and directionality angle.

Draw-Back Effect  --  Blood in the barrel of a firearm that has been drawn backward into the muzzle.

Drip Pattern  -- A bloodstain pattern which results from blood dripping into blood.

Expirated Blood  --  Blood that is blown out of the nose, mouth, or a wound as a result of air pressure and/or air flow which is the propelling force.

Flight Path --  The path of the blood drop, as it moves through space, from the impact site to the target.

Flow Pattern  --  A change in the shape and direction of a bloodstain due to the influence of gravity or movement of the object.

Forward Spatter  --  Blood which travels in the same direction as the source of energy or force which caused the spatter.

High Velocity Impact Spatter (HVIS)  -- A bloodstain pattern caused by a high velocity impact /force to a blood source such as that produced by gunshot or high speed machinery.

Impact Pattern  --   Bloodstain pattern created when blood receives a blow or force resulting in the random dispersion of smaller drips of blood.

Impact Site  -- That point where force encounters a source of blood.

Low Velocity Impact Spatter (LVIS)  --  A bloodstain pattern that is caused by a low velocity impact/force to a blood source.

Medium Velocity Impact Spatter (MVIS)  --  A bloodstain pattern caused by a medium velocity impact/force to a blood source.  A beating typically causes this type of spatter.

Misting  --  Blood which has been reduced to a fine spray, as a result of the energy or force applied to it.

Parent Drop -- A drop of blood from which a wave, cast-off, or satellite spatter.

Passive Drop (Bleeding)  --  Bloodstain drop(s) created or formed by the force of gravity acting along.

Point (Area) of Convergence  --  The common point (area), on a two dimensional surface, over which the directionality of several blood drops can be retraced.

Point (Area) of Origin --  The common point (area) in a three dimensional space to which the trajectories of several blood drops can be retraced.

Projected Blood Pattern  --  A bloodstain pattern that is produced by blood released under pressure as opposed to an impact, such as arterial spurting.

Ricochet  --  The deflection of blood after impact with a target surface that results in straining of a second target surface.

Satellite Spatter  -- Small droplets of blood that are distributed around a drop or pool of blood as a result of the blood impacting the target surface.

Perimeter Stain  --  A bloodstain that consists of only its outer periphery, the central area having been removed by wiping or flaking after liquid blood has partially or completely dried.

Spatter  --  That blood which has been dispersed as a result of force applied to a source of blood.  Patterns produced are often characteristic of the nature of the forces which created them.

Spine --  The pointed or elongated stains which radiate away from the central area of a bloodstain.

Swipe Pattern  -- The transfer of blood from a moving source onto an unstained surface.  Direction of travel may be determined by the feathered edge.

Target  --  A surface upon which blood has been deposited.

Transfer/Contact Pattern  --  A bloodstain pattern created when a wet, bloody surface comes in contact with a second surface.  A recognizable image of all or portion of the original surface may be observed in the pattern.

Void  --  An absence of strains in an otherwise continuous bloodstain pattern.

Wave Cast-Off  -- A small blood drop that originates from a parent drop of blood due to the wave-like action of the liquid in conjunction with striking a surface.

Wipe Pattern  -- A bloodstain pattern created when an object moves through an existing stain, removing and/or altering its appearance.

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