The importance of ballistics expertise in identifying the weapon used for committing a murder through shooting

• Author: Anamaria-Georgeta Popa
• Position: MA, Applied criminal researches Alexandru Ioan Cuza Police Academy, Bucharest, Romania
• Pages: 10-14

AGORA International Journal of Juridical Sciences, http://univagora.ro/jour/index.php/aijjs

ISSN 1843-570X, E-ISSN 2067-7677

No. 1 (2016), pp. 10-14

10

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALLISTICS EXPERTISE IN IDENTIFYING THE

WEAPON USED FOR COMMITTING A MURDER THROUGH SHOOTING

A.-G. POPA

Anamaria-Georgeta Popa

MA, Applied criminal researches

Alexandru Ioan Cuza Police Academy, Bucharest, Romania

*Correspondence: Anamaria-Georgeta Popa, Alexandru Ioan Cuza Police Academy,

Privighetorilor Alley, No. 1-3, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania

Abstract

As the number of crimes committed using firearms, a new branch made room within

the art of forensic ballistics. It is a relatively young branch of forensic engineering, which

must keep up with the development of general ballistics and the development of military

technology in the construction of portable firearms and ammunition used for them.

Key words: ballistics, forensic ballistics, weapons

Introduction:

As the first weapons were not safe, their loading lasted a long and sometimes exploded

unexpectedly, it has been attempted since ancient times perfecting the weapons, creating new

and more effective weapons.

“Judicial Ballistics is a branch of forensic techniques studying the construction and

operation of firearms, shooting and traces related phenomena determined by them in order to

achieve the issues raised by the prosecution”

1

.

Article 1 of Law 295/2004 highlights the provisions of categories of weapons and

ammunition, and also the conditions under which it is permitted, throughout the country, the

holding, carrying and use in different situations of weapons and ammunition. However,

paragraph 2 of Article 1 of Law 295/2004 records that it is not applying to operations with

arms and ammunition, transactions by public institutions dealing with national defense,

national security and the public order

2

.

The legislator, under Article 2 defined as firearm “any portable barreled weapon that

can throw, is designed to throw or may be converted to throw shot, bullet or projectile by the

action of a combustible propellant”

3

.

Since firearms are increasingly being used in offenses it is required a distinct field of

forensic technique called ballistic court. This field of judicial ballistics became independently

in the decade of our 20th century, developing and perfecting of some own methods of

examination, particularly after traces formed on identifying weapons and projectile tube.

According to the specialty literature

4

, general ballistics is divided in 3 parts: interior

ballistics, exterior ballistics, target ballistics.

The interior ballistics is studying the phenomenon that occurs inside the pipe after

percussion. Exterior ballistics is examining the phenomena occurring when the bullet leaves

the muzzle end, the trajectory it has when reaching the target.

1

V. Măcelaru, Balistica judiciară, Ministerului de Interne Publishing House, Bucharest, 19 72, p. 8;

2

Articolul 1 din Legea nr. 295/2004 privind regimul armelor și munițiilor, modificată și co mpletată pin Legea

nr. 117/2011, http://www.clr.ro/rep_htm/L295_2004_Rep1.htm;

3

Articolul 2 din Legea nr. 295/2004 privind regimul armelor și munițiilor, modificată și co mpletată pin Legea

nr. 117/2011, http://www.clr.ro/rep_htm/L295_2004_Rep1.htm;

4

V. Măcelaru, op. cit., p. 7-8;