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A Trace of Glitter

By Klaya Aardahl

A new popular trend has emerged with the addition of glitter to women's makeup. Due to its flashy core, this kind of makeup has attracted many different ages ranging from adults and teenagers to pre-teen girls. There is an abundance of glitter products on the market today, including hairspray, gels, lip gloss, roll-ons, lotions and just plain glitter, all containing glitter particles of different shapes, sizes, colors and chemical composition. The glitter particles can be analyzed through the combination of these different properties, which add to the analyst's potential to discriminate between any two glitter particles.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service Regional Forensic Laboratory, San Diego, Calif. is conducting an introductory study on utilizing glitter particles as a viable source of trace evidence. This project is designed to produce a protocol for the recovery and comparison of cosmetic glitter particle traces. The first part of the study includes developing various methods for characterizing and comparing glitter particles from many different cosmetic products, focusing on the differences in size, shape, color, surface morphology and chemical composition. In addition, the methods for detection and recovery of glitter particles from evidence items and crime scenes will be optimized.

This type of evidence is known as transfer evidence because it is transferred between the scene of a crime and a criminal. In sexual assault cases in which intimate contact is likely, these particles can be transferred from victim to suspect. The match of a target particle and a similar particle found on a suspect or in the suspect's environment (such as a residence or vehicle), could result in a connection between the crime scene and the offender.

The likelihood of transfer of glitter particles from a criminal act may range from very likely to practically nil depending on the type of material the glitter could be transferred on and the location, conditions, and abundance of particles. Obviously the more intimate the contact, the more likely particles will be transferred.

Forensic nurses, who may be the first to examine sexual assault victims and suspects, play a valuable role in the discovery and collection of this particular kind of trace evidence. For example, if a sexual assault victim is brought in to the clinic, the forensic nurse might notice the victim wearing a glitter product and could call this to the attention of the detective in charge of the investigation. In addition, she could take a sample of the particles using a piece of gauze wiped over the surface of the surface of the skin where the glitter may lie and place this in a small sealed box for documentation and analysis at the lab. Or if there is a minimal amount of glitter, such as might be on a suspect if he were to come into the clinic, a sample could be obtained by simply using transparent tape to lift the particle and transfer it onto a microscope slide. This would be an efficient way to retrieve glitter particles for later forensic laboratory comparison.

This new trend in glitter particles could be very beneficial to criminal investigators in crimes such as sexual assaults, abductions, or any crime where there is intimate contact between victim and assailant. Forensic nurses need to be aware of the potential evidential value of this type of trace evidence in linking a suspect to the crime.

Klaya Aardahl holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and is now enrolled in the master of forensic science degree program at National University in San Diego.

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