It may sound bizarre that shoes play a vital role when it comes to forensic investigations, but it is true and they are very useful. Forensic footwear evidence can be used in legal or court proceedings. They are used to prove that a certain shoe was present or connected to that particular crime scene. If you are interested, read on about footwear evidence – shoes the criminals choose.
What they initially do is that they identify what model of shoe was used. They also determine the shoe size which made an impression on the crime scene. Important and helpful information on footwear can be acquired from the analysis of wear patterns. These patterns can be dependent on the angle of footfall and weight distribution. This very detailed analysis is done by experts. The analysis can then greatly help in the identification of the wearer. It is because the information obtained can be linked to a specific piece of footwear and imprint. This is possible since each shoe will always have unique characteristics, especially when already used.
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Criminal records and a background check
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Footwear Evidence – Shoes the Criminals Choose
There are two forms of shoe or footwear evidence, they are prints and impressions. Prints, as the name suggests, are prints made on a solid surface by powder, sand, dust, or any similar medium. An impression is normally described and identified as a three-dimensional or 3D impression, such as those marks made in mud, clay, or any soft material. Similar to fingerprint evidence, footwear evidence is also classified into three categories of crime scene prints.
Visible Prints
A visible print occurs or happens when the shoe or any footwear steps into a foreign substance such as mud or paint, and is contaminated by it. When it comes in contact with a clean surface and is pressed onto that surface, it becomes a visible print. This print can be visible and easily seen by the naked eye without using tools or any other aids. The most common visible prints are prints left on a contrasting surface, such as a kitchen and bathroom floor. Certain substances, such as grease, mud, blood, oil, or water will leave contrasting prints. This type of print must be initially photographed. An electrostatic dust lifter can also be utilized when the evidence is imprinted in the dust.
Plastic Prints
The plastic print is a type of impression that occurs when the footwear steps into a soft surface, such as deep mud, wet sand, or snow, resulting in a three-dimensional impression. This type of impression should be photographed and cast. These types of impressions are created to be three-dimensional since they allow length, width, and depth examination.
Latent Prints
These type of prints are the most overlooked print and are generally found on smooth surfaces. They can be developed in the similar way latent fingerprints are. This type of print needs a variety of powders, chemicals, and even forensic light sources to make it visible in order to properly be viewed and collected.
Shoes and footwear marks at crime scenes
In every crime scene and criminal investigation, it is a priority to determine and present pieces of evidence that a particular person was in the scene. And since it is a priority for every crime scene investigation, the collection, preservation, and thorough analysis of the evidence have become more frequent and more significant than ever.
In the early 20th century, a criminologist by the name of Edmond Locard arrived at a theory. A theory that states that every time something comes into contact with another it either takes or leaves a portion of itself or another. This theory is called the Edmond Locard Theory, which simply states “Every contact leaves its trace.” (Source: Principles of Trace Evidence). This theory is still being used today during crime scene investigations and the analysis of physical evidence.
Crime scenes and footwear evidence
It is a fact that criminals do enter and exit crime scene areas it should, therefore, be reasonably and rightfully assumed that they can leave traces of their shoes or footwear. Although criminals have become smarter and wiser. They are beginning to frequently wear protection over their hands to avoid leaving fingerprints. Also, they wear masks over their faces to avoid eyewitness identification. However, they put very little to no effort into concealing footwear.
Tracing shoe traces and marks may be easy but when a crime scene is not secured or is disorganized. The search of the scene often results in this type of impression evidence being overlooked or destroyed. When this type of physical evidence is properly collected and preserved by the crime scene investigator. Also if it is followed up by a detailed examination by a footwear expert, they can become an important part in the investigation and identification of suspects in the crime scene.
Shoes are not just something you wear
It is a fact that shoes and footwear is an outfit necessity for us to get on with our day. No one walks barefoot in the streets anymore, right? That is why shoes play an important role in our daily lives. Not just that, footwear can also be utilized to find out possible suspects in a very unfortunate crime scene.
Footwear is indeed the second most common and easily identified evidence type after DNA and fingerprint. It is also capable of definitively placing someone at a crime scene. Each footwear has particular and unique wear marks. These marks will help forensic experts and investigators in getting their job done. These footwear marks and impressions can be used top get shoe models. They can also help to identify brand names that can be linked to the suspect of the crime scene. Shoes are indeed fascinating and super helpful as well. So if you want to read more about shoes then feel free to explore Shoe Finale. Also for those who are eager to do background checks, free arrest records are easily accessible.