GUIDE for Explosion

1 Department of JusticeOffice of Justice ProgramsNational Institute of Justiceresearch reportA Department of JusticeOffice of Justice Programs810 Seventh Street , DC 20531 Janet RenoAttorney GeneralDaniel MarcusActing Associate Attorney GeneralMary Lou LearyActing Assistant Attorney GeneralJulie E. SamuelsActing Director, National Institute of JusticeOffice of Justice ProgramsNational Institute of JusticeWorld Wide Web SiteWorld Wide Web Site the National Institute of JusticeThe National Institute of Justice (NIJ), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, is theresearch agency of the Department of Justice. Created by the Omnibus crime Controland Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended, NIJ is authorized to support research, evaluation,and demonstration programs, development of technology, and both national and internationalinformation dissemination. Specific mandates of the Act direct NIJ to: Sponsor special projects and research and development programs that will improve andstrengthen the criminal justice system and reduce or prevent crime .

2 Conduct national demonstration projects that employ innovative or promising approaches for improving criminal justice. Develop new technologies to fight crime and improve criminal justice. Evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice programs and identify programs that promise to be successful if continued or repeated. Recommend actions that can be taken by Federal, State, and local governments as well as by private organizations to improve criminal justice. Carry out research on criminal behavior. Develop new methods of crime prevention and reduction of crime and delinquency. In recent years, NIJ has greatly expanded its initiatives, the result of the Violent crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the crime Act), partnerships with other Federalagencies and private foundations, advances in technology, and a new international of these new initiatives include: Exploring key issues in community policing, violence against women, violence withinthe family, sentencing reforms, and specialized courts such as drug courts.

3 Developing dual-use technologies to support national defense and local law enforcementneeds. Establishing four regional National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Centers and a Border Research and Technology Center. Strengthening NIJ s links with the international community through participation in theUnited Nations network of criminological institutes, the Criminal Justice Informa-tion Network, and the NIJ International Center. Improving the online capability of NIJ s criminal justice information clearinghouse. Establishing the ADAM (Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring) program formerly the DrugUse Forecasting (DUF) program to increase the number of drug-testing sites and studydrug-related Institute Director establishes the Institute s objectives, guided by the priorities of theOffice of Justice Programs, the Department of Justice, and the needs of the criminal justicefield. The Institute actively solicits the views of criminal justice professionals and researchersin the continuing search for answers that inform public policymaking in crime and justice.

4 To find out more about the National Institute of Justice,please contact:National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849 6000 800 851 obtain an electronic version of this document, access the NIJ Web site ( ).If you have questions, call or e-mail and Approved by theTechnical Working Group for Bombing Scene InvestigationJune 2000 NCJ 181869A GUIDE for Explosion andBombing Scene InvestigationJulie E. SamuelsActing DirectorDavid G. Boyd, DirectorRichard M. Rau, MonitorOpinions or points of view expressed in this document represent aconsensus of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the officialposition of the Department of National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office ofJustice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance,the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office of Juvenile Justice andDelinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of From the Attorney GeneralThe investigation conducted at the scene of an Explosion or bombing plays a vital role in uncovering the truth about the incident.

5 Theevidence recovered can be critical in identifying, charging, and ultimatelyconvicting suspected criminals. For this reason, it is absolutely essentialthat the evidence be collected in a professional manner that will yieldsuccessful laboratory analyses. One way of ensuring that we, as investi-gators, obtain evidence of the highest quality and utility is to followsound protocols in our cases in the criminal justice system have brought to light the needfor heightened investigative practices at all crime scenes. In order to raisethe standard of practice in Explosion and bombing investigations of bothsmall and large scale, in both rural and urban jurisdictions, the NationalInstitute of Justice teamed with the National Center for Forensic Scienceat the University of Central Florida to initiate a national effort. Togetherthey convened a technical working group of law enforcement and legalpractitioners, bomb technicians and investigators, and forensic laboratoryanalysts to explore the development of improved procedures for theidentification, collection, and preservation of evidence at Explosion andbombing scenes.

6 This GUIDE was produced with the dedicated and enthusiastic participa-tion of the seasoned professionals who served on the Technical WorkingGroup for Bombing Scene Investigation. These 32 individuals broughttogether knowledge and practical experience from Federal law enforce-ment agencies as well as from large and small jurisdictions across theUnited States with expertise from national organizations and applaud their efforts to work together over the course of 2 years indeveloping this consensus of recommended practices for public developing its investigative procedures, every jurisdiction should givecareful consideration to those recommended in this GUIDE and to its ownunique local conditions and logistical circumstances. Although factorsthat vary among investigations may call for different approaches or evenpreclude the use of certain procedures described in the GUIDE , consider-ation of the GUIDE s recommendations may be invaluable to a jurisdic-tion shaping its own protocols.

7 As such, A GUIDE for Explosion andBombing Scene Investigation is an important tool for refining investiga-tive practices dealing with these incidents, as we continue our searchfor RenovThe University of Central Florida (UCF) is proud to take a leading role in the investigation of fire and Explosion scenesthrough the establishment of the National Center for Forensic Science(NCFS). The work of the Center s faculty, staff, and students, in coop-eration with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), has helped producethe NIJ Research Report A GUIDE for Explosion and Bombing than 150 graduates of UCF s 25-year-old program in forensicscience are now working in crime laboratories across the country. Ourprogram enjoys an ongoing partnership with NIJ to increase knowledgeand awareness of fire and Explosion scene investigation. We anticipatethat this type of mutually beneficial partnership between the university,the criminal justice system, and private industry will become even moreprevalent in the the authors of this GUIDE indicate, the field of Explosion and bombinginvestigation lacks nationally coordinated investigative protocols.

8 NCFS recognizes the need for this coordination. The Center maintains andupdates its training criteria and tools so that it may serve as a nationalresource for public safety personnel who may encounter an explosionor bombing scene in the line of encourage interested and concerned public safety personnel to use AGuide for Explosion and Bombing Scene Investigation. The proceduresrecommended in the GUIDE can help to ensure that more investigationsare successfully concluded through the proper identification, collection,and examination of all relevant forensic John C. HittMessage From the President of the University ofCentral FloridaviiTechnical Working Group for Bombing Scene InvestigationThe Technical Working Group for Bombing Scene Investigation(TWGBSI) is a multidisciplinary group of content area expertsfrom the United States, Canada, and Israel, each representing his or herrespective agency or practice.

9 Each of these individuals is experienced inthe investigation of explosions, the analysis of evidence gathered, or theuse in the criminal justice system of information produced by the investi-gation. They represent such entities as fire departments, law enforcementagencies, forensic laboratories, private companies, and the outset of the TWGBSI effort, the National Institute of Justice(NIJ) and the National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS) created theNational Bombing Scene Planning Panel (NBSPP) composed of distin-guished law enforcement officers, representatives of private industry, andresearchers to define needs, develop initial strategies, and steer the largergroup. Additional members of TWGBSI were then selected from recom-mendations solicited from NBSPP; NIJ s regional National Law Enforce-ment and Corrections Technology Centers; and national organizations andagencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco and Firearms, the American Society of crime laboratory Direc-tors, and the National District Attorneys , over a 2-year period, the 32 members of TWGBSI listedbelow worked together to develop this handbook, A GUIDE for Explosionand Bombing Scene Bombing Scene Planning Panel of TWGBSIJoan K.

10 AlexanderOffice of the Chief State sAttorneyRocky Hill, ConnecticutRoger E. BroadbentVirginia State PoliceFairfax, VirginiaJohn A. Conkling, PyrotechnicsAssociationChestertown, MarylandviiiTechnical Working Group for Bombing SceneInvestigationSheldon DickieRoyal Canadian MountedPoliceGloucester, Ontario, CanadaRonald L. KellyFederal Bureau ofInvestigationWashington, C. Oxley, of Rhode IslandKingston, Rhode IslandRoger N. PrescottAustin Powder CompanyCleveland, OhioJames C. RonayInstitute of Makers ofExplosivesWashington, T. ThurmanEastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KentuckyCarl VasilkoBureau of Alcohol, Tobaccoand FirearmsWashington, S. Postal Inspection ServiceDulles, VirginiaAndrew A. ApollonyFederal Bureau ofInvestigationQuantico, VirginiaMichael BoxlerBureau of Alcohol, Tobaccoand FirearmsSt. Paul, MinnesotaSteven G. BurmeisterFederal Bureau ofInvestigationWashington, A.