Verification of a customized skin simulant for forensic examinations

Forensic examinations can assist in crimes such as stabbings and shootings. The investigation of ballistic and edged weapon penetration events often requires a substrate to replicate the effects of human tissue and skin. Textile damage examinations can test weapons to determine whether they could have caused evidential damage such as stab and slash cuts. Currently when weapons such as knives and screw drivers are tested in the forensic laboratory, pork belly is used as the skin simulant. A synthetic skin simulant was developed for use in casework to address the concerns of the PCAST report regarding method accuracy. A layered silicone foam simulant was developed, and factors affecting the preparation and use of the simulant will be reported. Use of the foam silicone simulant achieved higher accuracy above the use of traditionally used pork belly for testing stabbing actions, and it is recommended for use in forensic testing laboratories.