Why do street signs taste so good? A community ballistics project

This project looks at the intersection between gunshot damage to road signs and the use of geographic information systems (GIS) for forensic intelligence. The project has surveyed several distinct regions in Victoria Australia (residential, semi-rural and rural) in order to establish the level and distribution of gunshot damage to signs. The study assesses the correlation between population densities, land use and road type and the types of gunshot damage associated with road signs. The study includes a temporal aspect with the aid of backdated GIS image data and assessment is made on the potential benefits for crime scene information gathering. Further, a software tool has been established that enables photographic analysis of the gunshot impact points to be used to help determine the scale of damage associated with the signs in order to help establish the types of weapons used. This information is presented in the context of the typical registered guns in the community to correlate the key types of weapons used in this type of activity.