Less Lethal Projectile Wound Pattern Identification Using Synthetic Skin
Category: Publication
Publication: Forensic Science International
Authors: Geoffrey T. Desmoulin, Marc-André Nolette, Theodore E. Milner
Summary: This study explores a practical forensic method for identifying which type of less-lethal projectile caused a head wound during crowd-control incidents. The researchers conducted preliminary firing tests using beanbag rounds and foam rounds against targets covered with synthetic skin, then compared the resulting damage patterns. They found that impact defects showed consistent differences between projectile types, particularly in defect size, depth of penetration, likelihood of laceration, and the presence of stippling. Overall, the results suggest synthetic skin can serve as a cost-effective testing substrate to help distinguish scalp injuries caused by beanbag rounds versus foam rounds in forensic investigations.
