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Search Publications by: Robert M Thompson (Assoc)

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 29

Inconclusive Decisions and Error Rates in Forensic Science

May 4, 2024
Author(s)
Henry Swofford, Steven Lund, Hariharan K. Iyer, John Butler, Johannes A. Soons, Robert M. Thompson, Vincent Desiderio, JP Jones, Robert Ramotowski
In recent years, there has been discussion and controversy relating to the treatment of inconclusive decisions in forensic feature comparison disciplines when considering the reliability of examination methods and results. In this article, we offer a brief

Surveying Practicing Firearm Examiners

April 20, 2022
Author(s)
Nicholas Scurich, Brandon Garrett, Robert M. Thompson
The comparison of discharged bullets and shell casings by firearm examiners is one of the most conducted forensic analyses. However, little is known empirically about how practicing firearm examiners view and conduct their work, the range of conclusions

Evaluating Measurement Uncertainty for Firearm Barrel and Overall Length Measurements

November 1, 2021
Author(s)
Michael Stocker, Theodore V. Vorburger, Thomas Renegar, Robert Thompson, Mark Williford
In recent years, more forensic laboratories are seeking accreditation to ISO 17020 and 17025. In the field of firearm and toolmark forensics, the barrel length and overall length of a firearm are typical measurements performed in the laboratory to

A Metrology Foundation for 3D Ballistic Imaging - NIJ Final Technical Report

September 1, 2021
Author(s)
Michael Stocker, Johannes Soons, Thomas Renegar, Xiaoyu Zheng, Robert Thompson
Forensic laboratories considering optical 3D surface topography measurement for objective comparison and VCM face challenges with respect to cost, training, and quality assurance. The primary aim of this research was to address quality assurance issues

NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database

January 27, 2020
Author(s)
Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Johannes A. Soons, Robert M. Thompson, Sushama P. Singh, Cerasela Constantin
In 2009, a report by the National Academies called into question, amongst other issues, the objectivity of visual toolmark identification by firearms examiners. The National Academies recommended development of objective toolmark identification criteria

Pilot Study on Deformed Bullet Correlation

January 1, 2020
Author(s)
Zhe Chen, Jun-Feng Song, Johannes A. Soons, Robert M. Thompson, Xuezeng Zhao
Most studies on bullet identification address test fire bullet that have near pristine striation marks on the land engraved areas (LEAs). However, in case work, bullets found at a crime scene may be severely deformed or fragmented. The resulting missing

Addressing Quality Assurance Issues in 3D Firearm and Toolmark Imaging

April 1, 2018
Author(s)
Michael T. Stocker, Robert M. Thompson, Johannes A. Soons, Thomas B. Renegar, Xiaoyu A. Zheng
The emerging capability for measuring and analyzing the three-dimensional (3D) surface topography of forensic samples is expected to have a profound impact on firearm and toolmark identification. As forensic laboratories are working to integrate 3D

NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database

December 5, 2016
Author(s)
Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Johannes A. Soons, Robert M. Thompson
The NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database (NBTRD) is an open-access research database of bullet and cartridge case toolmark data. The development of the database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice. The

Dimensional Review of Scales for Forensic Photography

November 25, 2015
Author(s)
Massimiliano Ferrucci, Theodore D. Doiron, Robert M. Thompson, John Jones, Adam J. Freeman, Janice A. Neiman
Scales for forensic photography provide a geometrical reference in the photographic documentation of a crime scene. A common scale used by investigators is a plastic, L-shaped ruler that allows for a dimensional reference in the photographic documentation

The Second National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC-2)

January 5, 2015
Author(s)
Theodore V. Vorburger, James H. Yen, Jun-Feng Song, Robert M. Thompson, Thomas Brian Renegar, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, D Ott, Martin G. Ols
In response to the guidelines issued by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB-International) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, NIST and the ATF initiated a

Applications of Surface Metrology in Firearm Identification

January 8, 2014
Author(s)
Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Johannes A. Soons, Theodore V. Vorburger, Jun-Feng Song, Thomas Brian Renegar, Robert M. Thompson
Surface metrology is commonly used to characterize functional engineering surfaces. The technologies developed offer opportunities to improve forensic toolmark identification. Toolmarks are created when a tool comes into contact with a surface and causes

Applications of Surface Metrology in Toolmark Identification

January 8, 2014
Author(s)
Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Johannes A. Soons, Theodore V. Vorburger, Jun-Feng Song, Thomas Brian Renegar, Robert M. Thompson
Surface metrology is commonly used to characterize functional engineering surfaces. The technologies developed offer opportunities to improve forensic toolmark identification. In 2009, a report by the National Academies called into question, amongst others

Topography Measurements and Performance Comparisons between NIST SRM 2460 Standard Bullet Masters and BKA Bullet Replicas

July 31, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Robert M. Thompson, Susan M. Ballou, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Thomas Brian Renegar, Richard M. Silver
Two Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2460 Bullets produced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) were used as masters for the fabrication of replica bullets at the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA). The surface topography of the SRM masters

Development of Ballistics Identification - From Image Comparison to Topography Measurement in Surface Metrology-

March 22, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Robert M. Thompson, Thomas Brian Renegar, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, James H. Yen, Richard M. Silver, Wei Chu
Fired bullets and ejected cartridge cases have unique ballistics signatures left by the firearm. By analyzing the ballistics signatures, forensic examiners can trace these bullets and cartridge cases to the firearm used in a crime scene. Current automated

The National Ballistics Imaging Comparison (NBIC) Project

March 10, 2012
Author(s)
Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Susan M. Ballou, Robert M. Thompson, James H. Yen, Thomas Brian Renegar, Xiaoyu Alan Zheng, Richard M. Silver, Martin Ols
In response to the guidelines issued by the ASCLD/LAB-International (American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board) to establish traceability and quality assurance in U.S. crime laboratories, a NIST/ATF joint project

Latent Print Examination and Human Factors: Improving the Practice through a Systems Approach

February 17, 2012
Author(s)
Melissa Taylor, David H. Kaye, Thomas Busey, Melissa Gische, Gerry LaPorte, Colin Aitken, Susan M. Ballou, Leonard Butt, Christophe Champod, David Charlton, Itiel E. Dror, Jules Epstein, Robert J. Garrett, Max Houck, Edward J. Imwinkelried, Ralph Keaton, Glenn Langenburg, Deborah A. Leben, Alice Maceo, Kenneth F. Martin, Jennifer L. Mnookin, Cedric Neumann, Joe Polski, Maria A. Roberts, Scott A. Shappell, Lyle Shaver, Sargur N. Srihari, Hal S. Stern, David Stoney, Anjali Swienton, Mary Theofanos, Robert M. Thompson, John Vanderkolk, Maria Weir, Kasey Wertheim
Fingerprints have provided a valuable method of personal identification in forensic science and criminal investigations for more than 100 years. The examination of fingerprints left at crime scenes, generally referred to as latent prints, consists of a