Small Arms Ammunition Field Tracing 2

1. Small Arms Ammunition Field Tracing 2

2. Types of Sampling • Attributed sampling: • The person recording the ammunition does so while the ‘user’ of the ammunition is present. The recording party knows that the ammunition in question ‘belongs’ to a particular person or group. • Unattributed sampling: • The person recording the ammunition does so without complete knowledge of who the ‘user’ is, and does not know to whom the ammunition ‘belongs’.

3. Attributed Sampling • Records will ideally be labelled according to the ‘unit of analysis’ • The unit may be related to: • Individuals • Groups of people • Locations

4. Attributed Sampling • Examples of acquiring user-attributed data: • Record ammunition details as users unload weapons • Record details at handover during disarmament tasks • Record ammunition stored in a central storage facility • Record details from scene of crime/accident

5. Unattributed Sampling • Used ammunition recovered from a scene but it is unclear who fired the ammunition and when • Ammunition from a disarmament programme but it is unclear where the ammunition came from • Ammunition found in an abandoned cache • Records compiled from photographs or physical samples collected by a third party

6. Unattributed Sampling

7. Prior Safety and Security

8. Assessing the Security Situation in the Sampling Location • Restrict tracing activities to normal activities • Do not visit a location unless: • Have a detailed knowledge of the security situation • They can partner with an individual or group that does

9. Locating the Appropriate Research Partner • Local (preferably same ethnic/linguistic/political) • Known and respected by the community • Fully briefed on research activities and ‘on side’to offer: • Access • Reassurance • Safety • Communication

10. The Role of National and Sub-National Authorities A practitioner’s failure to declare the nature of the research in advance and obtain official approval for it could result in his/her arrest or imprisonment.

11. Notifying Appropriate Authorities in Advance • Identify the relevant authorities • Draft a statement: nature of work and reasons • Visit relevant authorities • Obtain a formal letter of accreditation from those authorities

12. Operational Safety and Security

13. Respecting Interviewee/Ammunition User Concerns • Practitioners should be prepared to: • Abandon an interview if necessary • ‘Return’ data to interviewee and promise not to use it • Indicate in advance to the interviewee that either of these things are acceptable to the interviewer

14. Reassuring Interviewees/Ammunition Users • Honesty is the best policy • Explain the project in sensitive way • Reassure ammunition users and interviewees

15. Maintaining a Discrete Presence • Inform everyone who is likely to observe activities occurring • Conduct activities away from casual observers • Avoid roads/routes where unconnected people are likely to pass by

16. Weapons and Ammunition Safety in Groups • Choose a location that encourages order • Encourage people to remain still and quiet • Try to dissuade people from passing weapons around among themselves • Dissuade people from inappropriately handling or pointing weapons • Leave if these conditions cannot be controlled

17. Weapons and Ammunition Safety in Storage Facilities • Avoid sampling in the following circumstances: • Any item of explosive light weapons ammunition, unless permitted to do so by a qualified ATO. • Depot physical appearance suggests poor maintenance • If ammunition shows signs of corrosion or damage • Items are piled together, rather than orderly stored • If small calibre cartridge-based ammunition is stored alongside larger calibre explosive ammunition

18. Questions