NCJ Number
64511
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Volume: 34 Issue: 326 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 83-87
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A PHOTOGRAPHIC SUPERIMPOSITION TECHNIQUE THAT CONNECTED A SUSPECT'S FOOTPRINTS WITH A PAIR OF SLIPPERS RECOVERED AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME IS DESCRIBED IN THIS ARTICLE FROM INDIA.
Abstract
A PAIR OF CHAPPALS (OPEN THONG SLIPPERS MADE OF MOLDED RUBBER) WAS PHOTOGRAPHED, AND PRINTS OF IDENTICAL SIZE WERE PREPARED. NEGATIVES WERE MADE FROM THESE TWO PHOTOGRAPHS BY A REFLEX PHOTO COPYING PROCESS TO ACHIEVE OPTIMUM CONTRAST. PHOTOGRAPHIC TRANSPARENCIES OF THE SAME SIZE WERE PREPARED ON SHEET FILMS FROM THESE NEGATIVES BY CONTACT PROCESS. SPECIMEN FOOTPRINTS OF BOTH FEET OF THE SUSPECT WERE TAKEN ON WHITE PAPER USING PRINTER'S INK IN THE NORMAL MANNER. PHOTOGRAPHIC TRANSPARENCIES OF THESE FOOTPRINTS WERE SIMILARLY PREPARED AND THE TWO SETS OF TRANSPARENCIES WERE THEN SUPERIMPOSED. A NEAR PERFECT SUPERIMPOSITION COULD BE ACHIEVED BY THIS PROCESS PROVING THAT THE FOOTPRINTS ON THE CHAPPALS AND THE SPECIMEN FOOTPRINTS BELONGED TO THE SAME PERSON. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT AS A FORENSIC TECHNIQUE AND AS AN AREA OF COMPARISON, THIS PROCEDURE ADDS A FURTHER DIMENSION TO FOOTPRINT COMPARISON AS A SCIENTIFIC AID IN CRIME INVESTIGATION. THE FINAL COMPARISON CAN ALSO BE DEMONSTRATED TO THE COURT. REFERENCES AND FOOTPRINT PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED.(AOP)