SWGGUN Survey Summary
Question #5:
Method(s) in use by you:
| Pattern Matching (PM): |
98% (176 responses) |
| Consecutively Matching Striae (CMS) criteria: |
24% (42 responses) |
22% (39 responses) of those who responded use both PM and
CMS. 76% (137 responses) use PM exclusively and 2% (3 responses) use CMS
exclusively.
Question #6:
How do you reach your Firearm and Toolmark
Identification conclusions?
| By use of CMS only: |
2% of respondents (4 responses) |
| By use of PM only: |
76% of respondents (137 responses) |
| By use of PM and CMS combined: |
23% of respondents (41 responses) |
Discussion
The goal
of this survey was to gather information regarding the general acceptance of
Consecutively Matching Striae (CMS) criteria for identification; however, after
much discussion, it has been determined by the SWGGUN that the questions were
really asking about general use of the CMS criteria for identification.
Questions 5 and 6 addressed this topic, and are included in this summary.
Moreover, it is noteworthy that the responses to these two questions were highly
consistent with one another.
Owing to inconsistencies and contradictions in the responses to many of the
other questions, limited reliable information was acquired. For this
reason, those results were not included in this summary. A copy of the full
survey results, however, may be obtained from the SWGGUN by any qualified and
interested person.
This survey was sent to 225 laboratories from a list obtained by the National
Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC). We received 180 individual
responses.
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