Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Glossary
o Target: Impact area of a blood
stain is called the target
o Shape and size of blood drop

traveled in space from its point of

origin
o Terminal Velocity : Greatest
speed to which a free falling drop

depends mostly on : The

nature of the target surface (refer
to material-blood interaction page)
o Size of blood drop is related
to : The distance fallen
o Harder and less porous the

of blood can accelerate in air

o Low Velocity blood splatter :
Mostly 4-8mm, often cast off from a
fist, shoe, or weapon
o Medium velocity blood

surface, the less the blood

splatter : 25-100 fps, mostly 1-

drop will: Break apart

o The pointed end of a blood

4mm, commonly caused from a

stain faces the direction that

: The stain is travelling
o Bloodstain Transfer: When a
bloody object comes into contact

blow of a weapon
o High velocity blood splatter :
Greater than 100fps, fine mist,
commonly caused from a gunshot
o Round Bloodstain : Shape of a
bloodstain if it falls straight down

with a surface and leaves a

patterned blood image on the
surface
o Transfer : Image is recognizable

at a 90 degree angle
o Elliptical Bloodstain : Shape of
blood droplet that elongates as the
angle decreases from 90 degrees

and may be identifiable with a

particular object
o Swipe : Wet blood is transferred to

to 0
o Width/length = sine of the impact

a surface which did not have blood

(bloodstain angle formula)

o Elliptical shape: 80 degree angles

on it
o Wipe : A non-blood bearing object

o A tail is first seen: At a 30 degree

moves through a wet bloodstain,

altering the appearance of the
original stain
o Directionality : Relates to the
direction of a drop of blood

angle
Herbert L MacDonell: Considered
as the father of modern bloodstain
pattern analysis