A parameter study regarding the IBIS correlator

The electronic system IBIS has been used by numerous agencies worldwide as the standard tool to compare firearm markings on bullets and fired cartridges. There is a general interest among users concerning the likelihood with which the IBIS correlator may locate hits in its databases. Test results of the performance under different test conditions have been published in various papers. Experience has also been gained with the IBIS system from years of practical usage. All of these findings are difficult to compare with each other. No systematic presentation exists that actually shows the parameters upon which the success rate of the IBIS correlator depends. There has also been no mention of what values these parameters take on during each test. This paper first generally defines the success and error rates of the IBIS correlator. The parameters used will be discussed. Results of previously published tests will be re-examined based on this methodology. An illustrative form of presentation for the success rate of an electronic comparison system will also be suggested. It will be shown that the success rate of the IBIS correlator highly depends on the quality of the firearms-generated markings. It increases with the number of considered mark types, the number of available signatures per firearm, and the number of items inspected in the hit list. The success rate decreases with the database size. The paper will conclude with a series of practical recommendations for the setting up and successful operation of an electronic collection of ballistic evidence.