NCJ Number
242796
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 63 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2013 Pages: 332-352
Date Published
June 2013
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This project was an effort to better demonstrate the variability and measure the weight of evidence carried by class associations in footwear examinations.
Abstract
Crime scenes often contain footwear evidence. This evidence has been used by the forensic and legal communities for many years. This project was an effort to better demonstrate the variability and measure the weight of evidence carried by class associations in footwear examinations. Using the class characteristics present at the time of manufacture (general design element type, outsole design, and design element size-relationship), 99 percent of the impressions could easily be distinguished. When the class characteristic of wear was added, all 402 BCA footwear impressions were easily differentiated. The trace section of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has collected 402 known footwear impressions from the past 20 years of casework. These impressions originated from footwear from 127 different manufacturers. All impressions were compared to each other for a total of 80,601 pairs that were evaluated. The class characteristics used in these comparisons included general design element types, general outsole design, design element size-relationship, and wear. The goal of this study was to determine the variability of class associations in footwear impression evidence and to demonstrate that class characteristics alone carry high evidentiary value. (Published Abstract)