ASTM_E_2288_-_09.pdf

Designation:E228809Standard Guide forPhysical Match of Paper Cuts,Tears,and Perforations inForensic Document Examinations1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2288;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide provides procedures that should be used byforensic document examiners(Guide E444)for examinationsand comparisons to determine whether or not two or morepaper fragments were at one time joined to form a single pieceof paper.1.2 These procedures are applicable whether the examina-tion(s)and comparison(s)is of questioned and known items orof exclusively questioned items.1.3 These procedures include evaluation of the sufficiencyof the material available for examination.1.4 The particular methods employed in a given case willdepend upon the nature sufficiency of the material available forexamination.1.5 This guide may not cover all aspects of unusual oruncommon examinations.1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory requirements prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E444 Guide for Scope of Work of Forensic DocumentExaminersE1732 Terminology Relating to Forensic ScienceE2195 Terminology Relating to the Examination of Ques-tioned Documents3.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsFor definitions of terms in this guide,referto Terminology E1732 and Terminology E2195.4.Significance and Use4.1 This guide is intended for,but may not be limited to,physical match examinations of paper items.The physicalmatching or realignment of items of evidence may occur in twoor three dimensions.4.2 The procedures outlined here are grounded in thegenerally accepted body of knowledge and experience in thefield of forensic document examination.By following theseprocedures,a forensic document examiner can reliably reachan opinion concerning whether or not two or more paperfragments were at one time parts of a single piece of paper.5.Interferences5.1 Items submitted for examination may have inherentlimitations that can interfere with the procedures in this guide.Limitations should be noted and recorded.5.2 Limitations can be due to limited quantity,or compara-bility,or condition of the items submitted for examination.Thecondition of a paper sample may make it unsuitable for sometypes of examinations(for example,items that are watersoaked,stained,soiled,charred,or finely shredded paper).Such features are taken into account in this guide.5.3 The results of prior storage,handling,testing,or chemi-cal processing(for example,for latent prints)can interfere withthe examination of certain characteristics.Whenever possible,document examinations should be conducted prior to anychemical processing.Items should be handled appropriately toavoid compromising subsequent examinations.5.4 In the absence of individual characteristics,it may onlybe possible to demonstrate an association between two or moreitems through the commonality of class characteristics.6.Equipment and Requirements6.1 Appropriate light source(s)of sufficient intensity toallow fine detail to be distinguished.NOTE1Natural light,incandescent or fluorescent sources,or fiberoptic lighting systems are generally utilized.Transmitted lighting,sidelighting,and vertical incident lighting have been found useful.6.2 Magnification sufficient to allow fine detail to be distin-guished.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E30 on ForensicSciences and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E30.90 on Executive.Current edition approved March 1,2009.Published March 2009.Originallyapproved in 2003.Last previous edition approved in 2003 as E2288 03.DOI:10.1520/E2288-09.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 6.3 Other apparatus as appropriate.Aids in the examinationprocess can include clamps,clips,temporary adhesives,andother materials that will not adversely affect the specimen(s).6.4 Imaging or other equipment for recording observationsas required.6.5 Sufficient time and facilities to complete all applicableprocedures.7.Procedure7.1 All procedures shall be performed when applicable andnoted when appropriate.These procedures need not be per-formed in the order given.7.2 Examinations performed,relevant observations,andresults shall be documented.7.3 At various points in these procedur