Blood Spatter Interpretation
Blood is frequently shed during crimes of violence. It is often possible to reconstruct one or more possibilities of what may have occurred to produce certain bloodstain patterns. Usually, it is much more important to establish what mechanisms could not have occurred to produce a bloodstain pattern. To achieve this it is essental that all available bloodstains be examined, either at the scene of the crime or from good quality photographs. Their overall size, shape and distribution must be examined overall and not just in isolated areas. The following links will provide general information on bloodstain interpretation, general rules that should be considered when looking at bloodstains, Bloodstain Terminology List suggested by the International Association of Bloodstain Patteran Analysts, and a chart showing the overall types of bloodstain patterns.