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CHAPTER ONE:
The Field of Forensic Document Examination

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

 Define FORENSIC SCIENCE and FORENSIC BALLISTIC.

 Enumerate the four branches of Ballistic or Firearm Identification
 Discuss the theoretical basis of Ballistics

Lesson 1.1: WHAT IS FORENSIC SCIENCE?

The term FORENSIC SCIENCE, is generally defines as the application of scientific technique
and principles in order to provide evidence to legal or related investigations and determination.
Essentially, it is the application of scientific knowledge and technology to the definition and enforcement
of criminal and civil law. It investigates the links between the people, places, things, and events that occur
during a crime. "CRIMINALISTICS" is another term for forensic science.

The focus of FORENSIC SCEINCE is the CRIME LABORATORY using the principles and
techniques of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Anthropology and other sciences in order to place
physical evidence into a professional discipline.

Now, let’s talk about the origin of the word, “FORENSIC SCIENCE”
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The word “forensic”, whose earliest meaning in English is “belonging to, used in, or suitable to
courts or to public discussion and debate.” was derived from a Latin word forum, meaning a marketplace,
where people gather for "public disputation" or "public discussion".

The word forensic in today’s world simply means the application of something to a legal situation.
Therefore, on its own, the word forensic means very little. But when used in the terms” FORENSIC
SCIENCE” it means applying a science into a legal setting. The important word here is SCIENCE.
Therefore, one should take note that a person CANNOT be a forensic scientist without first being a scientist,
and a very good and well educated scientist as you will not only be analyzing and interpreting evidence
which could be responsible for setting a person free or imprisoning them for life, but also you will and
should be challenged to the utmost during the cross-examination in court. Because when forensic science
is used in court, then the side, the prosecution or the defense, that's presenting that forensic evidence has to
convince the judge or the jury of the validity of that forensic evidence. Sometimes it's difficult to convince
the court of the validity of scientific evidence. Especially because the members of the court, the judge and
the jury, will generally not have any scientific training themselves.

Lesson 1.2: WHAT IS BALLISTIC?

Ballistics is simply the science of the motion of projectiles; a branch of applied physics which deals
with the motion of projectiles. The term “BALLISTIC” itself was derived from the Greek word “BALLO”
or “BA’LLIEN”, which means literally to throw. Its root was implied or used in the name of an early Roman
War Machine called “Ballista” which is a gigantic bow or catapult which was then used to hurl missiles or
large stones or hard objects against their enemy. Today, the word Ballistics is frequently used
synonymously in the press and in the Police Parlance to Firearms Identification.

It is broadly defined as the science that deals with the motion, behavior, and effects of projectiles,
especially bullets, gravity bombs, rockets, or the like; the science or art of designing and hurling projectiles
so as to achieve a desired performance. A ballistic body is a body which is free to move, behave, and be
modified in appearance, contour, or texture by ambient conditions, substances, or forces, as by the pressure
of gases in a gun, by rifling in a barrel, by gravity, by temperature, or by air particles.

Technically speaking, it refers to the "science of firearms identification which involves the
scientific examination of ballistics exhibits such as: fired bullets; fired shells; firearms; and allied matters,
used in crime.

Legally speaking, ballistics is the microscopic examination of fired cartridge cases and bullets
together with the recording and presentation by means of photography of what is revealed by the
microscope.
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Ballistic related evidence includes firearms or guns, bullets, and cartridges cases. Although a listing
of ballistic related evidence is numerous - the most types of crime scene evidence include bullet holes and
bullet damage on various mediums; bullet trajectories, and gunshot wounds.

 FOUR BRANCHES OF BALLISTICS:

The following are the four branches of ballistics:

1. INTERNAL BALLISTICS, the study of the processes originally accelerating the projectile, for
example the passage of a bullet through the barrel of a rifle;
2. EXTERNAL BALLISTICS, the study of the passage of the projectile through space or the air;
and
3. TERMINAL BALLISTICS, the study of the interaction of a projectile with its target, whether
that be flesh (for a hunting bullet), steel (for an anti-tank round), or even furnace slag (for an industrial slag
disruptor).
4. FORENSIC BALLISTIC is one being used in legal proceedings wherein a written report of the
examiner involving firearm, bullets and shells are properly presented and identified by the prosecution in
connection with the crime alleged to have been committed.

 WHAT IS FORENSIC BALLISTIC?

Forensic Ballistic is that branch of firearm identification wherein ballistics report of the examiner,
such as firearm, bullet, slugs, and shells are presented and identified by the prosecution during the
proceedings and in turn disputed by the defense counsel before the courts of justice.

It is the study of firearm investigation and identification of firearms by means of ammunition

fired through them. This is the branch of forensic science which deals with the examination of the firearm
and related evidences encountered at the scene of crime in a shooting incident, and their linkage to the
firearm, and identification of the shooter. This is the real branch of the science which the police use as their
guide in field investigations. This includes the following:

1. Field Investigations
Which is conducted by the first officers on the case in the field when they investigate a case or
cases wherein firearms have been used. This is a routine job of the investigating officers, and this involves
recognition, collection, marking, preservation, and transmittal of ballistics exhibits like fired bullets, fired
shells, firearms and allied matters.

2. Technical examinations of the ballistics exhibits

This is the job performed by the firearms examiners in the laboratory. It involves marking of the
evidence firearms, test firings of evidence firearms to obtain test bullets and test shells for comparative
purposes, photomicrography under the bullet comparison microscope, preparation of comparative charts,
and the making of reports on the findings and observations of the firearms examiners.
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3. Legal proceedings - Court Trials

Wherein the ballistics report of the firearm examiner and the ballistics exhibits are presented during
the trial of the case in a court of justice.

 THEORETICAL BASIS OF BALLISTICS

Ballistic is a science in itself because it evolved from systematic knowledge, research and
development, training, experience and education of those who pioneered in this field. Ballistics as a science
is based on the theory that every firearm has individual characteristics that are as unique to it as fingerprints
are to human beings. In the manufacture of firearms, some irregularities are inadvertently made specifically
during the process of broaching and lapping. These imperfections are reflected on the inner surface of the
barrel thereby making it distinct from the other. When a firearm is fired, it transfers these characteristics –
in the form of scratches and dents to the projectiles and cartridge casings fired in it. The barrel of the firearm
marks the projectile traveling through it, and the firearm’s breech mechanism marks the ammunition’s
casing. This happens because the bullet and shell are made of softer material while the barrel and the
breechblock or chamber is from harder material. Therefore, softer material will be scratched and impressed
by the harder material. These impressions or markings comprised the individual characteristics of firearms
which serve as its “fingerprint” or “thumb mark.”
Firearm ballistics information is used in forensic science. Separately from ballistics information,
firearm and tool mark examinations involve analyzing firearm, ammunition, and tool mark evidence in
order to establish whether a certain firearm or tool was used in the commission of a crime.

 BALLISTICS THEORY

Ballistics is the scientific study of the propulsion and motion of projectiles such as bullets, artillery
shells, rockets and guided missiles. Also includes the study of the destructive action of such projectiles.
The drag of a projectile moving head on is now usually divided into three parts:

1. BOW RESISTANCE - due to air pressure at the head of the projectile;

2. SKIN FRICTION - caused by the friction of air moving along the middle portion of the body; and
3. BASE DRAG - due to the under-pressure and disturbance of the air behind the base.
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STUDENT ASSESMENT: IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, COPY AND WRITE DOWN YOUR ANSWER TO
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. TAKE AN IMAGE OF YOUR OUTPUT AND UPLOAD IT ON OUR
LMS ACTIVITY LABELLED: LESSON ONE ASSESMENT.

1. What do we mean by “FORENSIC SCIENCE”?

2. Define the following:
a. Ballistic c. External Ballistic d. Forensic Ballistic
b. Internal Ballistic d. Terminal Ballistic e. Ballista
3. The terms “BALLISTIC” is derived from two Greek words which literally means “to throw”, what are
those two Greek words?
4. Explain what do we mean by Ballistic body?
5. Provide the technical and legal definition of the word Ballistic.

ENHANCEMENT TASK: (INTERNET RESEARCH)

INSTRUCTION: IN A LEGAL SIZE BOND PAPER TYPE DOWN YOUR OUTPUT TO THE
FOLLOWING TASK. FOR FONT STYLE KINDLY USE TIMES NEW ROMAN IN 12 (FONT SIZE)
AND LINE SPACING MUST BE IN 1.5. PLEASE OBSERVE PROPER MARGIN AND INDENTION.
UPLOAD THE SOFTCOPY OF YOUR OUTPUT ON OUR LMS ACTIVITY LABELLED:
ENHANCEMENT TASK #1

TASK: In a tabular presentation, identify the pioneers in FID and briefly describe their significant
contributions. Follow this format:
PIONEERS DATE AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION/S
PLACE
1. GALILEO, NEWTON, and LEIBNIZ
2. ALEXANDER JOHN FORSYTH
3. JOHN HALL
4. GASPARD KOLLNER
5. SAMUEL COLT
6. PHILIP GRAVELLE
7. CALVIN GODDARD
8. DR. ALBERT LLEWELLYN HALL
9. GIOVANNI CASSINI
10. BENJAMIN ROBINS
11. HENRY GODDARD
12. BENJAMIN THOMPSON
13. CHARLES WHEASTONE
14. JOHANN DREYSE
15. THOMAS JOHNSON RODMAN
16. ALFRED NOBEL
17. FREDERICK ABEL