A New Approach for the Analysis of Duct Tape Backings

A New Approach for the Analysis of Duct Tape Backings
Source: Forensic Science Communications (FBI)

Full text at: http://www.docuticker.com/?p=13813

Duct tape was invented in the 1930s as a waterproof medical tape. During World War II, the military adapted duct tape for its own purposes, and following the war, the tape was used for sealing ductwork in homes. Today, the use of duct tape for a variety of applications is concentrated primarily in North America. Common duct-tape construction consists of a polyisoprene-based adhesive, fabric reinforcement (scrim), and a polyethylene backing (Johnston and Serra 2005).

Despite its many positive uses, duct tape is often submitted to crime laboratories as evidence associated with abductions and homicides. The FBI Laboratory analyzes duct tape in comparative examinations and for sourcing purposes. The tape comparison examination attempts to establish an evidentiary link between a suspect and a crime or between different crime scenes. When no source tape is available for comparison, a duct tape specimen can be examined to determine class characteristics that may provide manufacturer information.