Forensics Glass Analysis

Glass analysis in forensic science:  As a type of evidence glass can be very useful contact trace material in a wide range of offences including burglaries and robberies, hit-and-run accidents, murders, assaults, ram-raids, criminal damage and thefts of and from motor vehicles. All of these offer the potential for glass fragments to be transferred from anything made of glass which breaks, to whoever or whatever was responsible. Variation in manufacture of glass allows considerable discrimination even with tiny fragments.

Research has indicated that 60% of cases involving glass provided some positive evidence and that in 40% of these cases this evidence was strong. Depending on circumstances, the findings can also refute the allegation that a person was involved in a crime.