Hanshi's studies and work in forensic hoplology and spoorology spans nearly four decades. He has mastered this knowledge through practical use in both the U.S. Army and as a federal law enforcement officer. He provides consultation and examination services to attorneys and investigators in both criminal and civil matters in the following forensic areas:
Examination of human combative behavior and performance evidence (hoplology): Includes the examination of officer and suspect use of force, suspect and victim violence/ aggression/defense, self-defense claims, weapon use applications, predatory and affective behavior, crime scene recovery of this evidence through human spoor evidence, and other human aggression related issues.
Examination of human spoor evidence (spoorology): Includes the examination of human behavior patterns, primary and secondary movement patterns, tracks, trails, footprints (bare and shoe), and the crime scene recovery of this evidence.
FORENSICS TESTIMONY
Hoplology
Forensic hoplology analysis stems from the three main scholarly areas of study in this science as practiced by Hanshi Cunningham:
"Technological Hoplology-The study of environmental factors, materials and production processes and their relationship to the development of weapons, armor and combative accouterments."
"Functional Hoplology-The study of the structure and organization of combative systems including the analysis and classification of combative systems, the observation of training patterns and their relationship to real and idealized applications and investigations into the reciprocal relationship between weapons and combative systems."
"Behavioral Hoplology-The study of the psychological and physiological factors inherent in man's combativeness and his development of combative capabilities including the variables that influence the evolution of combative systems. This covers the socio-cultural roles and effects of weapons and combative systems on the individual and collective social organization. This area of research includes the identification and description of man's belief systems and their corresponding social and institutional import. The analysis of expression of behavior (internal and external) in relation to weapons and combative[s] systems and the study of linguistic relationships in the evolution of combative culture are also included in this area of study."
Three Axioms of Hoplology:
"1. The foundation of human combative behavior is rooted in our evolution. To gain a realistic understanding of human combative behavior, it is necessary to have a basic grasp of its evolutionary background."
"2. The two basic forms of human combative behavior are predatory and affective. Predatory combative behavior is that combative/aggressive behavior rooted in our evolution as a hunting mammal. Affective combative behavior is that aggressive/combative behavior rooted in our evolution as a group-social animal."
"3. The evolution of human combative behavior and performance is integral with the use of weapons. That is, behavior and performance is intrinsically linked to and reflects the use of weapons."
NOTE: Hanshi is a member of IHS and the areas of study and three axioms are outlined by the International Hoplology Society and are used as the standard for forensic hoplology analysis and examinations.
Spoorology
Forensic spoorology analysis stems from the three main scholarly areas of study in this science as practiced by Hanshi; behavior, gait, and spoor:
Behavior
Behavior in reference to spoor evidence must be visually observable to be studied spoorologically. In practice, “publicly” observable body-bound and action-bound processes (gait, movement, etc.) and “privately” non-observable brain-bound processes (thinking, feeling, etc.) are interconnected and comprehensive in both micro and macro human capabilities.
Gait
Gait itself, from a recognition perspective, reveals that humans have the ability to recognize people from watching gait visually, which indicates “the presence of identity information in the gait signature.” These studies help to recognize that gait movements, if witnessed by direct visual observation, isolates gait as unique to one person over another therefore articulation of human gait discrimination is verifiable. This uniqueness attributed to gait in people is also then unique in how gait signatures are transferred into the substrate through locomotion. Since gait has unique properties of recognition, then the gait footfall sequences (GFS) are also unique to the gait that produces the signature.
Spoor
The three levels of spoor analysis as used in each fundamental point of observation to help the observer focus the mind on spoor evidence are primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary analysis is necessary on its own merit as well as in confirming the analysis that is observed in the secondary and tertiary areas.
Primary-Primary analysis is looking for spoor that is conclusive evidence of the passage of the quarry. Conclusive evidence indicates on its own merit that the quarry moved through the area. This means to the tracker that they are still in maintenance with the spoor story. Some examples of primary spoor are a clear footprint and identifiable litter.
Secondary-Secondary analysis is looking at spoor that is substantiating evidence of the passage of the quarry. Substantiating evidence indicates to the tracker that they need to collect many samples in order to draw the correct inferences. Secondary spoor may be the quarry moving through an area and it may not. The tracker through the application of “continuity” and “constancy” contained in additivity will be able to connect each piece of secondary spoor and by stringing this evidence together, come to concrete extrapolations about the quarry behaviors. Some examples of secondary spoor are rocks out of place, bruised vegetation, broken twigs, and others.
Tertiary-Tertiary analysis, also called extended, is calculating all other gathered evidence related or not related to spoor evidence. Some examples of this type of spoor are animals being flushed out, interviews with witnesses, etc. Contamination of the spoor is also placed within this classification. This could be the spoor of other investigators, technician and scientists as they move about in or near the crime scene, or it could be an animal’s spoor. Any sign that is not the quarry’s spoor would be classified as tertiary spoor.
The key is in establishing a baseline (BLE) from which to recognize register deviation anomalies (RDA). These primary and secondary human movement patterns are registered as regularities of the spoor-chain signature that left it. Regularity is shapes that are never to be seen in nature unless a human brings it there. If straight lines, circles, stars, and square marks are found in nature in calculated formations, this was made by humans. The shoes of man are made in such formations. They are unique to man only. Nature leaves no such shapes.
Spoorology’s Functional and Purposeful Design:
Forensic spoorology is application of advanced tracking skills to collect spoor evidence to apply it in a court setting. Tracking is following someone by stringing together a continuous chain of his or her spoor. Spoorology (human behavior, locomotion, and spoor), then is the scientific study of spoor. Spoor evidence comes from the human body’s functional task of maintaining kinetic stability during locomotion, which during forward progression transfers weight, which either foot must accept, before limb support or limb advancement can occur in succession. These footfall impressions are what every tracker observes, classifies-and with advanced scientific study-interprets to glean the behaviors of a quarry.
Tracking, for forensic purposes, has been successful on a limited basis by police trackers for many years, but police administrations, attorneys, forensic and crime scene professionals have not grasped how useful tracking is to the fact-gathering process because of tracking’s misinterpreted methodologies, which these professionals see as non-scientific. The courts, however, have recognized tracking as a useful specialized knowledge to help the finders of fact as well as the court in understanding spoor evidence.
Yet, to this day, tracking is not widely accepted as a science. Those not familiar with tracking (this unfortunately is most people) usually think of this area of discussion as a supernatural ability to see the markings left where human or animal have walked, let alone understand the mental state and behaviors associated with locomotor and psychomotor human movement. This perception is truly limited in scope, yet casts shadows of doubt on tracking’s applicability in our day as a scientific methodology, which is reliable, creditable, and can provide the necessary scientific accuracy to the fact finder.
In both sciences of hoplology and spoorology, Hanshi, has conducted extensive cutting-edge forensic research which sets his expertise apart.
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