Beyond the Surface: The Rigor of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Bloodstain pattern analysis and crime scene analysis are not for the casual investigator who intends only to graze the surface, find a quick answer, and move on. The bloodstain pattern analyst is truly one who reconstructs crime scenes. As such, he or she must understand all of the forensic disciplines.

The analyst must be able to objectively apply each category of evidence to the situation, inferring as little as possible, but recognizing the whole. In order to accomplish this task the bloodstain pattern analyst must also under­ stand and apply proven crime scene analysis methods.