A SURVEY OF GLASS FRAGMENTS RECOVERED FROM CLOTHING OF PERSONS SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME

The distribution of glass fragments recovered from the clothing of ove r 500 individuals suspected of criminal involvement with breaking or b roken glass was studied. The refractive indices of over 4000 recovered glass fragments were measured; the fragments were selected using norm al casework practices. A grouping method was applied to the data, prov iding information on the number of types of matching and non-matching glass present on the clothing. Comparisons of the proportions of match ing and non-matching glass were made on the different types of clothin g and for different locations on the clothing. Group sizes were also s tudied, and comparisons of refractive index distributions were made. I t was not unusual to find large numbers of non-matching glass fragment s on the clothing of an individual, although these were almost invaria bly from a number of different sources. The refractive index distribut ion of non-matching glass on clothing is clearly different from that o f control glass encountered in casework.