What can firearms analysis determine about a crime?

Firearms analysis plays a crucial role in forensic investigations, particularly when it comes to identifying evidence at crime scenes involving guns. This type of analysis can provide detailed insights into the specific type of bullet utilized in a crime. When a bullet is recovered from a crime scene, forensic experts can examine its characteristics—such as caliber, design, and manufacturer. This information can narrow down the possible types of firearms that could have discharged that bullet, linking it to a specific weapon or type of ammunition.

Investigators can use this data to match bullets to specific firearms and potentially connect a suspect to a crime. This process includes evaluating the unique markings that bullets exhibit after being fired, created by the gun's rifling. Such findings are used to establish connections between a suspect and the crime, contributing to the overall body of evidence in the investigation.

Other options address aspects that firearms analysis does not directly resolve. For instance, assessing the mental state of a perpetrator is outside the scope of physical forensic evidence; instead, it often requires psychological evaluation or behavioral analysis. Similarly, determining the precise time of a crime is usually accomplished through other forensic methods, such as analyzing alibis, surveillance footage, or temporal evidence (e.g., the state of perishable items at a