1. By: Monroe Stadler and Vernon Taylor http://www.bxscience.edu/ourpag es/users/villani/forensics/articles/ ballistics/images/ballistics8.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v9 9/smallestminority/breechface.jpg Ballistics ~ The science of mechanics that deals with the motion, behavior and effects of projectiles http://upload.wiki media.org/wikipedi a/commons/thumb /e/ed/Expertise- ballistique- p1030169.jpg/180px- Expertise- ballistique- p1030169.jpg

2. The science of analyzing firearm usage in crimes Calvin Goddard collected a database of test firings from every type of handgun in the 1920s. He is credited for inventing the field of forensic ballistics First court case to use ballistics as evidence dates as far back as 1902 when a specific gun was proven to be the murder weapon.

3. The study of projectiles from the time of the shooting to the time of the impact with the target 4 categories Internal ballistics – the study of what caused the projectile to originally accelerate Transition ballistics – the study of the projectiles behavior when it leaves the barrel External ballistics – the study of the projectile through the air Terminal ballistics – the study of the bullets impact No two firearms even those of the same make and model will produce the same marks on fired bullets making it easy to identify murder weapons

4. Types of Evidence for forensic ballistics include Firearms, spent bullets, spent cartridge cases, live ammunition, shot shell wadding and many others A forensic ballistics expert can either be a part time or a full time job. Database called Drugfire is sponsored by the FBI and used for bullet identification Credentials needed: 4 year degree in a physical or applied science and a background in guns and how they work. Also a background in the military or police force would help.

5. Ballistics expert from the TBI Typical day Evidence sent into lab from law enforcement agencies all over the state (bullets, firearms etc…) Pick up evidence and work in the lab Generate a report with findings Send back to law enforcement agency Sometimes testify in court the findings http://www.warehamproperties.com/DOJ.tif.jp g http://images.google.com/imgre s?imgurl=http://www.newbernp d.com

6. What do you like about being a ballistics expert? Every case is different and every day there is a new puzzle to solve Whats is the most exciting thing? Its fun to shoot the guns in the lab during firearms identification What techniques do you use in forensic ballistics? The most important is the comparison microscope that helps identify bullets from the same gun

7. In October of 2002 John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo killed 10 people in Virginia and Maryland using a sniper rifle. The two were found in there car and arrested on federal weapons charges. The weapon that was found was linked to the bullets found in the victims through ballistics tests. Both were found guilty of murder.

8. Sources "Ballistics." Wikipedia. 2009. 20 Jan 2009. Lotter, Karen. "What is Forensic Ballistics?." 26 APR 2008 20 Jan 2009. Links www.firearmsid.com - comparison microscope www.firearmsid.com