Forensic characteristics of damages to different types of fabrics (materials of clothing), which are formed due to the effect of electric shock devices

Abstract

Annotation. The article describes the results of a study of experimentally caused damage to various types of non-biological material (simulators of clothing fabrics) under the action of different models of electroshock devices. Particularly, the morphological features of the damages and the elemental chemical composition in the areas of damages are established. In the study, 120 experimental objects were investigated – damage to four types of clothing fabrics (imitators of clothing fabrics – cotton knitwear, linen, synthetic fabrics) caused by the action of three models of electric shock devices. Applied research methods: visual examination (including via optical devices), morphometric, photographic, X-ray fluorescent spectral analysis, statistical. The research results are processed by standard methods of variation statistics. The purpose of the study is to establish the forensic diagnostic criteria for assessing damage to various fabrics (materials) of clothing, causing by the action of electric shock devices. In the course of the experiment, certain morphological features of damage were established, which are formed as a result of the action of electroshock devices on various types of materials (imitators of clothing fabrics). The results of the study indicate that the design features of electro-shock devices are reflected in the morphological pattern of damages on the tissues of clothing, namely, in the nature of the mutual arrangement of injuries, the distance between them, which can be used in forensic practice, as a sign indicating the action of an electroshock device specific model. When carrying out X-ray fluorescence spectral analysis from areas of material damage (simulators of clothing fabrics), metal deposits were found, which, in terms of their elemental composition, corresponded to the chemical composition of the contact electrodes of electroshock devices that caused damage. This regularity can be used as an objective sign of establishing the fact of the action of an electroshock device with a certain elemental composition of the metal of the contact electrodes.