X. Miscellaneous

J. Body Armor Information

1. Reference Information

Useful technology reference on soft body armor and testing:

Police Body Armor Standards and Testing, Volume I: Report, US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, OTA-ISC-534, Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office, August 1992.
ISBN 0-16-037987-3
56 pp. $3.25 Order number 052-003-01292-8

Police Body Armor Standards and Testing, Volume II: Appendices, US Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, OTA-ISC-535, Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office, September 1992.
ISBN 0-16-038074-X
128 pp. $6.50 Order number 052-003-01304-5

Mail orders to:
New Orders
Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
FAX 202-512-2250

Payment by check (payable to Superintendent of Documents), VISA, or MC.

If you work for a gov't agency, you might be able to get these two documents for free by calling the OTA directly. OTA's Publication Office number is 202-224-8996.

• Introduction
• Background
  • Soft Armor and Hard Armor
  • Summary of NIJ Standard 0101.03
• Findings
  • Benefits of Wearing Armor
  • Factors Influencing Wearing of Armor
  • Goals of Testing and Certification
  • Test Procedures
  • Assuring Quality
• Unresolved Issues
• Options for the Department of Justice
  • Specify Acceptable Risks
  • Revise NIJ Standard 0101.03
  • Assure Quality
  • Sponsor Research
• Other Policy Options
  • Expand FTC Activities; Involve OSHA
• Legislative Options
  • Fund NIJ-Sponsored Research
• Bibliography

Boxes, Volume I

• A. How Soft Body Armor Works
• B. Kevlar and Twaron
• C. Spectra and Spectra Shield
• D. Trends in Weapons and Ammunition Used in Assaults on Police
• E. Types of Guns
• F. ABCs of Ammunition, Bullets, and Cartridges
• G. Stringency, Validity, and Reproducibility
• H. Statistical Confidence

Figures, Volume I

• 1. Certification That a Model of Armor Complies With the NIJ Standard is Based on Inspection and Testing of Samples Submitted by the Manufacturer
• 2. Instrumented Ballistic Test Range for Testing Armor as Specified in NIJ Standard 0101.03
• 3. Sequence of Aim Points on Each Panel, as Specified in NIJ Standard 0101.03
• 4. How Fatal Bullet Wounds in the Torso Would Decrease if the Wear Rate Increased
• 5. Wear Rate Versus Temperature-Humidity Index (THI)
• 6. Wear Rate Versus Month
• 7. Wear Rate Versus Areal Density of Armor
• 8. "Reenactment" of a Ballistic Test That Armor Shot in an Assault Could Have Been Subjected To
• 9. Discrimination of the NIJ Test for Protection From the Impact of Stopped Bullets
• 10. Shots Per Panel in Actual Assaults
• 11. Effect of Wetnes on Ballistic Resistance of Kevlar Armor
• 12. Estimates of V50 and V10 Obtained by Logistic Regression
• 13. Notional Control Chart for Sequential Lot-Acceptance Testing

Tables, Volume I

• 1. Types of Ballistic Resistance Defined by NIJ Standard 0101.03 in Terms of Bullets and Velocities Specified in Testing
• 2. Types of Ballistic Resistance Defined by NIJ Standard 0101.03 in Terms of Guns and Ammunition Against Which Protection is Expected
• 3. Choices for Safety Goals

Table of Contents, Volume II

• Appendix A. The Origin of and Rationale for the NIJ Standard
• Appendix B. The Utility of Police Body Armor
• Appendix C. Issues
• Appendix D. Reeenactments
• Appendix E. Options for the Department of Justice