CLPEX Chat Board

Does anyone have any direct experience or additional information about the Cartridge Electrostatic Recovery and Analysis (CERA) technique? This is the technique developed by Dr. John Bond of the Northamptonshire Police to recover ridge detail on fired cartridge cases. I have searched the forums but cannot really find anything outside of a couple postings that just link to vague news articles.
I have an attorney looking into a 2005 homicide involving a single mother of 3 who was attacked in her home. He is trying to see if there are any additional exams that can be done on any of the items of evidence. He had mentioned a cartridge case that was recovered and never examined. I thought this might be a good case for this new technique, but want to find out more information on it.
Thanks in advance for any help,
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http://www.consolite.co.uk/Forensics/index.html
http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Northampto ... A-Launched

The Arizona Identification Council (AIC) was fortunate to have Dr. Bond come over and be a lecturer/presenter at our tri-division educational conference in Tucson this past October. What I gathered and took away from the presentation was that for the CERA technique to enhance any potential latent print on a cartridge casing or similar metallic object, it must first be at least partially visible. If you can't see anything with the naked eye or in sunlight the CERA technique will probably not help you. However, if there is what appears to be corrosion on the cartridge casing, the CERA technique might be able to enhance what's there and provide more contrast.

Peter, this was actually a point of contention at an attempt homicide trial I had late last year. The problem being "why didn't you do this?" Fair enough question and easy enough to answer, but during my research I did find that Bond will/has been processing actual evidence when people send it to him. Maybe your boss will let you hand deliver it hahha

Good luck!

I had the pleasure of attending one of his lectures when he was in our area. At our lecture, he didn't state that the process ONLY works on cartridge cases where prints are visible with the naked eye, but rather that any catridge case with visible prints should definitely be processed for possible enhancement. John expressed that the point of the technique is for the powder to develop what the eye can not see.

The concept behind the technique is very simple. Typical components of fingerprint residue are corrosive to some metals, brass included. When friction ridge skin makes contact, the ridges deposit residue onto the metal, and so the indentations/corrosion into the metal represent the raised ridges on the skin. The extent of corrosion depends on what is in the residue, time the residue is on the metal, the type of metal, etc. What Dr. Bond did was figure out a way to get powder into the corroded areas, making them appear black against the brass background, and therefore visible for photography. His machine holds a cartridge case in place, gives the cartridge case an electric charge, and then gently moves plastic beads that are coated in powder across the surface of the cartridge case. The electric charge helps to move the powder off of the beads and into the indented areas of the cartridge case. I believe the powder he uses is the plastic form of what is in printer toner, but that may be incorrect.

This is the simplified version. I can look up my notes and provide you with the scientific concepts backing the technique, if you wish.

Dr. Bond uses a machine of his own design, which is sold by Consolite Forensics http://www.consolite.co.uk/Forensics/index.html You don't NEED the machine, though (last I checked, it was fairly expensive.) You really just need to be able to give the cartridge case an electrical charge, and move the beaded powder over it in a way that will deposit the powder into the indentations. Of course, any method you come up with on your own would have to be validated before use on evidence.

Dr. Bond expressed that he is always available to answer questions on his methods, and he does in fact process evidence that is sent to him by agencies from around the globe. His website is http://www.le.ac.uk/forensic-research/d ... ellow.html and his e-mail address is john.bond@northants.pnn.police.uk

Hope that helps

Very nice summary of his technique bficken. As of October he was no longer employed at the Northamptonshire Police so that e-mail address is out of date. Dr. Bond is now working at a university in Leicester.

Ah, thank you for the update, I will change my contact information for him.

I hope everyone makes it through the holidays! Tis the season for burglaries and call outs...

Thanks for all of the information; I will pass it along to the attorney. I may have to get to work on my travel request to hand deliver this cartridge case to Dr. Bond;)
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