Course Description
This course is essential for all forensics professional involved in the examination of footwear impression evidence and is designed to provide a quality experience for both novice and experienced examiners. Foundational knowledge such as outsole manufacturing processes and shoe construction, class characteristics, characteristics from wear, terminology, comparison methodology, and standards for note taking and report writing will be covered. Then, the bulk of the course will focus on the application of these fundamentals to casework; each participant will examine, compare and evaluate many and varied footwear evidence sample cases. Also included: updated information including current conclusions and documentation trends, research that applies to this evidence, current court and admissibility issues, resources for keeping up to date, ways to search for shoe designs, and how and when to contact shoe manufacturers. This course will also discuss the limitations that photography and collection methods may place on the evaluation of footwear impression characteristics. The emphasis of this course is on hands-on experience, practice and active participation. Participants will evaluate impressions, document and make test impressions from known shoes, take notes, write reports and have a chance to express their examination and conclusions as they would in court. Specifically, in this course, Participants will… Evaluate photography methods for footwear evidence and study the impact photography of impressions has on the comparison process. Evaluate other physical collection and chemical development methods for their impact on the appearance and recovery of impressions. Study the effects that surface type, substrate material, movement and the environment have on the detail of impressions. Utilize note taking and photography to document initial condition, processing, and the comparison and evaluation of this evidence. Discuss the manufacturing of footwear and footwear outsoles to develop a foundation for the understanding of class characteristics of footwear evidence. Discuss characteristics that are acquired from the wearing of shoes and how they should be evaluated. Review standards, terminology and admissibility issues that relate to footwear evidence. Review foundational research and resources that relate to footwear evidence. Practice the taking of known standards (test impressions) of footwear evidence using a variety of methods. Conduct an extensive series of comparisons designed to provide opportunities for applying their knowledge of characteristics to the examination of footwear evidence. Practice effective report writing that clearly conveys their observations, evaluations and opinions. Practice the presentation of a footwear impression comparison in court by preparing and presenting a case.
